Having been given a scare by lowly Nepal, who were stopped just four short of their total, and then losing to the West Indies three days later, England are in a spot of bother as they try to quickly shed the Wankhede woes and brace themselves for a tricky tryst with Scotland at the Eden Gardens on Saturday. An ‘upset’ by their northern neighbours and arch-rivals could see the two-time champions perilously close to the exit door of the 2026 T20 World Cup.

Skipper Harry Brook had spoken of the batsmen becoming “too careful” against the West Indians and thereby squandering momentum. Phil Salt pointed to the difference in mindset between a bilateral series and tournament play but was quick to add that they were “possibly a bit too tentative.”