Ahead of the final game of the series against Sri Lanka tomorrow, former England captain Andrew Strauss has been discussing the importance of one-day cricket in the lead up to the ICC Champions Trophy next year and the home 2019 World Cup.
With the ICC Champions Trophy on show here in Cardiff this weekend, Director of England Cricket Strauss believes the national side should be approaching the one-day format with a clear vision to peak in 2019.
He said: “We need to give ourselves the best possible chance in that 2019 World Cup. Staging a World Cup is such a big thing for the game in this country.”
The emergence of young players such as Jason Roy and Joe Root in the last couple of years has seen England transform into a side that is firmly on the upward trajectory as they approach the ICC Champions Trophy.
“We’ve got a talented, exciting bunch of crickets, who love playing positive cricket,” added Strauss.
The ex-England opener believes that the experience gained in the Champions Trophy will provide a strong platform for success in 2019.
Talking about the last time they staged a World Cup, Strauss admitted: “We didn’t make the most of that opportunity and, let’s be honest, it was pretty typical of our poor record in the tournament since the final in Australia in 1992.”
England can take the momentum and belief from recent successes in the World T20 and both Test and one-day series wins against this Sri Lankan side into their next upcoming series against Pakistan, with Strauss insisting that focus on this format will give them every chance of World Cup success in front of home fans.
He added: “The 50-over game must remain a high priority for us domestically as well as internationally, with the World Cup to work towards.”