There was a time, just a few days ago, when it felt like this week’s Spin was destined to be a wake, a coming-to-terms with another unexpectedly premature World Cup departure for an England team completely and thrillingly restyled since their last such failure, but still unable to escape the same miserable fate. Sunday’s victory over India has at the very least postponed such soul-searching, and it could yet be that the competition will culminate in the English not drowning sorrows but downing champagne.
Whether it helps them into the semi-finals or simply precurses fresh disappointment, England’s victory over India – a group-stage win over an already all-but-qualified opponent, mind you – stands as their greatest World Cup result for nearly three decades. Not since their run to the 1992 final had they had beaten either Australia or India at a World Cup, while New Zealand remain unbeaten by the English since 1983.
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