‘Things could be completely different’: Adil Rashid insists better fielding is the only thing standing between himself and top wicket takers at World Cup
- Adil Rashid has impressed for England with the ball at their home World Cup
- However, the spinner believes he could have taken even more wickets
- As it stands, the top 13 wicket-takers at the tournament have all been pace men
Adil Rashid reckons he could easily have been twice as successful with the ball in England’s march to the World Cup semi-finals.
The Yorkshire leg-spinner had been the most prolific bowler not only within Eoin Morgan’s team but on the global scene during the four years leading up to the tournament, with 129 victims in 83 one-day international appearances.
However, like Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan, the closest man to him in that period with 125, the 31-year-old has not been able to emulate such a rate of productivity in a tournament in which the top 13 wicket-takers prior to Friday’s match between Pakistan and Bangladesh were all pace bowlers.
Adil Rashid insist is only a touch of bad luck that has prevented him from taking more wickets
‘There’s been some games where I felt as though I’ve been a bit unlucky, there’s been a few dropped catches and missed stumpings and whatever,’ Rashid said.
‘If you take all that in, things could be completely different, you could easily be on 15 or 16 wickets. It is what it is, dropped catches and missed chances are part and parcel of cricket. But we’re winning, and through to the semis so we’re in a good place.’
With England booked in for the second of the two last-four ties at Edgbaston next Thursday, Rashid – ever present but with only eight wickets at an average in excess of 54 – will also be afforded extra time to rest the shoulder niggle that required two cortisone injections on the eve of the event.
The England spinner reckons he could be on 15 or 16 wickets had team-mates taken chances
Although it did not appear to hinder his bowling arm when his one-handed pick up and flat throw on Wednesday ran out Ross Taylor in the 119-run ‘quarter-final’ win over New Zealand at Chester-le-Street.
‘We work hard on our fielding. As a team we’re always looking to improve. I’m always looking to get better.
‘You might have days where you might not feel as good or whatever but if you’re putting the hard work in during practice then things will go well,’ he added.