Joe Root

On the eve of a critical contest that will make or break England's hopes of reaching the semi-finals of the World T20, Joe Root has said that the side are yet to play their best cricket in the tournament

It was feared that T20 would ruin batting, and cricket in general. But two recent innings give us a glimpse of a more beautiful future

Two impassioned screams for lbw, neither of them given, told the story of an Afghanistan side who are so close to winning, but just can't get over the line

England survived a major scare against Afghanistan to sustain their World T20 hopes, recovering from 85 for 7 to steal home by 15 runs

Mahela Jayawardene has praised the character shown by England's young batsmen after they pulled off the second-highest successful run chase in T20 internationals

England's victory over South Africa in Mumbai not only revived their prospects of reaching the World T20 semi-finals, but served up incontrovertible proof of the squad's commitment to fearless, no-consequences cricket

Joe Root's 43-ball 83 helped England narrowly beat South Africa by two wickets and two balls to spare, in their Group 1 encounter, at the Wankhede Stadium on Friday

In England's hour of need, and with World T20 elimination looming in the event of a slip off the tightrope, Joe Root's sure-footed guidance resulted in his best-ever performance in the shortest form of the game

Plays of the day from a run-soaked match between England and South Africa in Mumbai

England completed the second-highest successful chase in T20 internationals and the highest in World T20 history to keep their campaign alive

West Indies proved totally and utterly at home in their home from home. England, through little fault of their own, tiptoed through their opening engagement like backpackers out of the airport

It was the series that got away from England but if a young team can learn lessons from what went wrong, especially in the final two matches, then the future remains bright

Plays of the day from the third ODI between South Africa and England in Centurion

Having had a barren 12 months in Test cricket, South Africa played like a side remembering how to win for much of the fourth day but they had a bit of luck with a storm just skirting the ground and victory is within grasp

Joe Root's book on the victorious 2015 Ashes series is also a summation of England's mixed and eventful year in international cricket

As England trouped off the field at lunch on the third day in Johannesburg, Trevor Bayliss produced what may come to be the defining moment in his career as coach

Stuart Broad's 6 for 17 routed South Africa for 83 to give England a seven-wicket win at The Wanderers and an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series