Captain Harry Brooke believes England’s “tricky” spell earlier in the T20 World Cup will prepare them for Thursday’s semi-final against hosts India in Mumbai.

Brooke’s side struggled to beat Nepal, Scotland and Italy in the first round before losing to two-time champions West Indies.

They progressed in the Super 8s while remaining unbeaten, defeating Sri Lanka, Pakistan (with the captain scoring a stunning 50-ball hundred) and finally New Zealand, who scored 43 in the last 18 games.

England’s tournament MVP Will Jacks, a four-time Man of the Match award, and T20 World Cup debutant Rehan Ahmed struggled again against the Black Caps in the opening match, with Jos Buttler and Phil Salt scoring one and two goals respectively to post a match-winning 44 from 16 balls.

I always look at T20 cricket as thinking about reward rather than risk. This is a case of backing yourself and thinking about what good it will do rather than what harm it will do. I would never blame anyone for taking a radical choice – I don’t think I have a leg up on that!

brooke told sky sports cricket Ian Ward: “We eked out a win in a close game and that’s the sign of a good team.

“I know you never quit the game. I know my players have character, a will to win, want to win a lot, but also the ability to stay calm under pressure.”

“If one of our batsmen gets out, the opponent is left scratching their heads.”

Buttler is averaging just 8.85 in the tournament after five consecutive single-digit runs, while Salter’s only performance was a 62-run performance against Sri Lanka in the Super 8s.

However, Brook believes his top-order duo can perform well against India, who will meet England in their third consecutive T20 World Cup semi-final after being beaten by them in Adelaide in 2022 and Guyana in 2024.

The Yorkshireman added: “We’re all really excited. I’ve heard from some of the lads that they want to play India no matter what. It will be a big moment and there will be a lot of pressure on both sides.

“India obviously have a lot of support and I’m not sure there will be a lot of support for us. It will be loud. Hopefully we can play our best cricket.

“I’m excited for the lads at the top of the order. I feel like they’re one step closer to taking the game away from one team. I don’t think there’s any weakness at the top of the order. The lads are just struggling a little bit and not getting the runs they always get.

“I think Jos deserves to be left alone. He is one of the best players ever and I can see him doing well.

“It was great that the other lads were able to step up. Great performance throughout. We have so many strong players in the front seven that if one of those players misses out, the opposition will be left scratching their heads not knowing where to go.”

Jacks vital for England after ‘thank you for coming to the game’

Jacks played a vital role in the England side, contributing 191 runs in the seventh-order, including wins over Nepal, Italy, Sri Lanka and New Zealand, and taking 7 wickets with his off-spin.

Brooke said of the Surrey all-rounder: “Jakes has been fantastic. To be able to do that in every game in his first World Cup is fantastic.”

“We had a chat with him in Sri Lanka (during the pre-World Cup tour) when he played a thank-you match. He didn’t bowl, didn’t bat, got the ball once or twice in the field.

“We said to him, this is a role that rewards you a lot when you win games and you’re playing this role, otherwise it’s difficult to get into the team.

“He accepted the position and did a great job. The character he brought out was fantastic.”

“I want to make it as uncomfortable as possible for the hitter at all times.”

Brooke’s ice-cold captaincy was also a key factor in England reaching a fifth consecutive T20 World Cup semi-final, so how does he try to operate?

“We’ve been through a lot of high-pressure games and the calmer you are as captain, it helps in all aspects of the game.

“You can see I’m holding on to the ball longer. I want to have a conversation with the bowlers, make sure they know what pitch they want to bowl and get them thinking about one thing.

“For example, with a wide yorker, I’m not too concerned about the line of your pitch. I just want you to hit the length of the yorker.

“No one is going to hit you for four or six unless the batsman tackles it. You can set the pitch in style but if you nail your length it’s usually one, over or a wicket.

“As we’re bowling more spin now, we do try to stay ahead of the overs and slow the game down. In some situations it works better than others, but that’s the beauty of bowling spin. You can use the maximum minutes you have.

“I always have options in my head. I tell the lads who might bowl in the second over. Sometimes it changes, sometimes it doesn’t. Then it’s just about watching the game and seeing how it goes and trying to find the most effective bowler in a situation.

“I want to make it as uncomfortable as possible for the hitter at all times.”

Watch England vs India T20 World Cup semi-final live broadcast at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai sky sports cricket and sky sports main event Starting at 1pm on Thursday (first pitch at 1.30pm).

England T20 World Cup results and schedule

first round

super number 8

semifinals

• vs India (Mumbai) – Thursday, March 5 (1:30 p.m.)