Pallekele, Feb 21 (IANS) England skipper Harry Brook has admitted that the team took some of the opposition sides in the Group stage lightly and also promised to perform well in the Super 8s round, where they will play their first match against the co-hosts, Sri Lanka, at the Pallekele International Stadium on Sunday.

England’s campaign so far in the tournament has been far from convincing, as they nearly escaped defeat in their first match against Nepal by just four runs. Brook’s side got hammered by the two-time champions, West Indies, in the next match.

However, they won the remaining two matches against Italy and Scotland to reach the Super 8s.

“It was obviously a niggly start to the competition. We probably underestimated a few of the sides, and they put up a really good fight and yeah, look, we came here to get through that stage, and thankfully we have, so we’re here in the Super Eights, and that’s our main focus now,” Brook said in a pre-match conference.

Brook also revealed the team’s plan to get the wicket of Sri Lanka’s opener Pathum Nissanka, who is looking in good touch. Nissanka scored a century against Australia and can be a big threat to England in their upcoming match.

“Some of their batters are batting really well, so hopefully we can get a few wickets in the power play. And Nissanka is on a bit of a heater at the minute, so it would be ideal if we could get him out early,” he said.

The 27-year-old also criticised the careful approach of the batters in the tournament and asked them to attack from the start and put the opposition under pressure.

“I want us to go hell for leather in 20 overs anyway and go out there and really take it to the opposition with the bat and look to put them under pressure. So, there’s not really, not too much change there,” he said.

“With the no carrying over of points or anything like that into the Super Eights, it’s a completely fresh start, and we can see it like that as well. I feel like we can probably be a bit braver in certain situations.” Brook added.

England have a good record against Sri Lanka in T20Is. Brook’s side have won 13 out of 17 matches played between the two sides.

–IANS

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