Jos Buttler of England (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
The 2026 T20 World Cup has been a forgettable campaign so far for England great Jos Buttler. The experienced right-hander has collected just 62 runs across seven innings, including five straight single-digit scores.
He started the tournament with 26 against Nepal and 21 against the West Indies, but his returns have declined sharply since then. His struggles continued in the Super 8 match against New Zealand in Colombo, where he was dismissed for a duck, caught behind Lockie Ferguson. Over his last five matches against Scotland, Italy, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and New Zealand, Buttler has managed scores of 3, 3, 7, 2 and 0, for a total of just 15 points.
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Despite the lean patch, England captain
Harry Brock
He has thrown his full support behind his predecessor. Brook urged critics to consider Buttler’s long-term contribution to English cricket and went so far as to describe him as the best white-ball player the game has ever seen. “A lot has been said about Jos. You said the other day he’s played 150 matches for England in T20Is, and maybe people need to step back on that a little bit. He’s probably the best white-ball player to ever play the game,” Brook said in his post-match presentation. “He’s in a bit of a rut now, but I think it’s exciting for everyone in the world to see what he can produce in the next couple of games.”
“He’s obviously got a lot of enthusiasm, and he wants to go out and show everyone what he’s made of. Look, he’s averaging 34 strikeouts in 145 in 150 games. He’s an exceptional player, and I have no doubt he’ll go out and do well.” England has
Ben Duckett
Available as an alternative if they choose to change. However, Brook’s comments suggest Buttler is set to feature in the semi-final in Mumbai next week against India or the West Indies. The decline in form is not limited to this tournament. Across England internationals and S20 players, Buttler has scored just two half-centuries in his last 24 innings. His previous fifty in an ICC event came during the 2024 T20 World Cup, when he scored an unbeaten 83 against USA.