Mumbai, Feb 11 (.) West Indies allrounder Sherfane Rutherford, named Player of the Match in his side’s T20 World Cup Group C win over England, said he is fit and hopeful to continue his T20 World Cup campaign despite injuring his finger during the match.
Rutherford, who struck an unbeaten 76 to propel the West Indies to 196‑6, was seen leaving the field briefly after suffering the injury in the first innings but returned to finish the innings strongly. Reports indicated Rutherford appeared to hurt his arm while batting but continued to play through the discomfort.
“I want to thank God for this opportunity, playing on the biggest stage,” Rutherford said after the match. “My finger is good, and hopefully I’ll be fit for the next game.”
On the challenge posed by England’s bowling attack, he singled out leg-spinner Adil Rashid as a key concern. “In our meetings, we knew he was going to be the toughest bowler for us. It was important to keep him out of the game, rotate the strike, build partnerships, and back ourselves to make up for it at the end,” Rutherford added.
Rutherford also spoke about his preparation and reading of the surface. “I’ve been putting in a lot of work coming into the World Cup. Once I trust my process and read the situation, I know that once I’m in, I can always score at the end. It was important to have a clear mind and play more in time.”
On the total his side posted, he noted: “We were probably about 10 runs short. With England batting, we know how powerful they are, but the guys really stood up tonight and bowled well. This result means a lot for us.”
Reflecting on the contribution of players from his native Guyana, Rutherford said: “It’s good for our country. Cricket is a team sport, and moving forward, hopefully other guys can put their hands up. As a collective unit, we can continue to get better.”
Looking ahead after two straight wins, he emphasized momentum: “On this big stage, momentum is very important. We want to keep building on it, add 10 percent to our game each time, and keep getting better.”
. . CDS