England skipper Eoin Morgan said that his team wanted to build on the momentum gained from the group stages and make the most of it in the semifinal after the hosts thrashed Australia by eight wickets to zoom into the final of the World Cup here on Thursday.
England will now take on New Zealand in the final at Lord’s on Sunday with the World Cup all set to see a first-time winner as neither the hosts, nor the Black Caps have laid their hands on the coveted trophy till date.
Jason Roy once again laid the foundation for what was a clinical chase by England. While Roy hit a magnificent 65-ball 85 to set the ball rolling, skipper Eoin Morgan (45*) and Joe Root (49*) took the team past the 224-run target with eight wickets and more than 17 overs to spare.
“We talked about wanting to get better from game to game and we wanted to set the tone from ball one and we made Australia pay,” Morgan said after the emphatic win at the post match presentation ceremony.
“Absolutely delighted. I would like to thank the fans who’ve come out today, our fans have been great with their support. Edgbaston has always been great for us. Having beaten India on this ground, we would have come in with similar confidence (had we faced India here). It is very important to take confidence from the group stages into the semifinal,” the England captain said.
England’s Chris Woakes was adjudged the Man of the Match for his effort with the ball as he returned figures of 3/20.
Showering praises on the all-rounder, Morgan said, “Extremely happy for Woakes. He is a cool customer and has been one of the best bowlers for us in the last couple of years. He goes about his business exceptionally day in and day out. Him and Jofra (Archer) were probably the standout performers for us.”
Morgan also heaped praises on England openers Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow.
“Roy and Jonny at the top of the order are really imposing when they get themselves in. They are in the form of their lives and they take advantage of that. They set the tone for us,” he said.
The semifinal win took England to the World Cup final for the first time since 1992, when they had lost to Pakistan.
“I was six in 1992, so I don’t remember it. But I have seen a lot of it in the highlights,” Morgan said.
“It is an opportunity for us on Sunday, a huge one at that too. Looking back at where we were in 2015 and looking ahead to Sunday is a dramatic improvement. Everyone in that dressing room must take a lot of credit for that. Making the most of that opportunity in getting the result will be great for us,” he concluded.