Sports
Buttler calls McCullum ‘as sharp a coach as I ever worked with’
MUMBAI: Senior England player Jos Buttler on Tuesday backed under-fire Brendon McCullum, saying the New Zealander was “as sharp a coach as I’ve ever worked with”.
McCullum is desperate for success at the T20 World Cup in India, where England face the West Indies in Mumbai on Wednesday, after facing flak for the torrid 4-1 thumping in the Ashes.
England coach McCullum was accused of being too laid-back and allowing a drinking culture in the camp.
White-ball captain Harry Brook had to apologise after being involved in an altercation with a night-club bouncer on the eve-of-Ashes tour of New Zealand.
On Sunday, McCullum was seen sending messages via walkie-talkie to the England players during drinks breaks as they squeezed home against Nepal in a nail-biter in Mumbai.
It appeared to be part of a more hands-on, proactive coaching approach, and Buttler welcomed it.
“I think he’s had those walkie-talkies for a while now, but then communication from top to bottom has always been really good in the group,” former captain Buttler told reporters at the Wankhede Stadium ahead of training.
“‘Baz’ can sit with his feet up and his sunglasses on and look very relaxed. But he’s as sharp a coach as I’ve ever worked with. He doesn’t miss a beat.
“He was a successful captain, so he’s got lots of great messages, knowledge and stuff to pass on to all the players.
“His relationship with Harry Brook has been a great one for this team. They’re really close.”
Brook took over after Buttler stood down as captain last year, following England’s group stage exit from the 50-over Champions Trophy in Pakistan and the UAE.
That followed an embarrassing title defence at the 50-over World Cup in 2023 and a semi-final exit at the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Buttler, who led England T20 World Cup glory in 2022, said it had been tricky to adjust to just being a player again after being captain.
In his second game after giving up the role, he sought advice from Joe Root, who had stood down as Test captain but played on under Ben Stokes.
“He was stood at slip and I was keeping wicket. We had five or 10 minutes just talking about it,” he said.
“How different it is when he’s been captain… and some of the various emotions he felt, the challenges that he found, and yes it was really helpful.”
England on Tuesday announced one change from the team that beat Nepal, seamer Luke Wood being replaced by Jamie Overton.
Published in Dawn, February 11th, 2026
Sports
Pakistan comfortably beat USA by 32 runs, make amends for routing in previous T20 World Cup clash
Finn Allen and Tim Seifert posted a T20 World Cup record partnership of 175 as New Zealand crushed the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by 10 wickets with almost five overs to spare in Chennai on Tuesday.
Chasing the UAE’s 173-6, Seifert struck an unbeaten 89 and Allen scored 84 not out as they pummelled the UAE bowling to all parts of the ground in an unbroken opening stand.
The opening pair crashed 78 from the first six-over power play and posted their century stand off only 8.3 overs.
Seifert hit one of his three huge sixes to clinch the contest after just 15.2 overs; he also struck 12 fours. Allen had five sixes and five fours.
They beat the previous record for any wicket at a T20 World Cup — an unbroken 170 by England openers Alex Hales and Jos Buttler against India in the semi-final of the 2022 edition at the Adelaide Oval.
“The main thing is that we’re playing how we want to play, especially me and Finn putting pressure on the bowlers in the power play,” said Seifert, who was named player of the match.
“Every game’s going to be a little bit different, every ground’s going to be different,” he said.
“So in a World Cup, you’ve just got to be able to adapt to the conditions you’re playing in.”
Seifert said he was unaware the pair had posted a new World Cup record partnership for any wicket.
“No, I didn’t know that,” he said. “I’m not much of a stats guy, but look, we’ll take it.”
The UAE’s 173-6 was largely thanks to their captain Muhammad Waseem’s 66 not out.
Choosing to bat first, Waseem and Alishan Sharafu put on 107 for the second wicket. It took a sensational piece of New Zealand fielding to break the partnership.
Mark Chapman intercepted a Sharafu slog-sweep a whisker inside the boundary and, before he stepped over the ropes, relayed the ball to Daryl Mitchell to complete the dismissal.
The 31-year-old Waseem, who was one of only three current UAE players to play in their last appearance in a T20 World Cup in 2022, hit four fours and three sixes in facing 45 balls.
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