All-rounder Curran brings stuttering England to life at the death

England face co-hosts Sri Lanka in the Super Eights on Sunday, but without Sam Curran, Harry Brook’s side may well have been on the plane home.

The all-rounder has stood up and proved himself the man for a crisis, delivering match-winning late “death” overs against associate nations Nepal and Italy to stave off embarrassing defeats.

Nepal, ranked 16th, were chasing 184 to pull off one of the all-time upsets and needed just 10 off the final over.

Left-arm swing bowler Curran kept them to just five under extreme pressure in front of a hostile pro-Nepal crowd at a packed Wankhede stadium in Mumbai.

“I said to Brookie: ‘I’m backing six yorkers here, and I’ll take the hit if I don’t execute’,” said Curran.

“I think you’ve got to think like that.

“I’ve played a lot of T20 cricket. When you win the close ones they’re actually the ones that give you a little boost and a bit of a smile on your face.”

Captain Brook said the “unbelievable” Curran was his go-to guy at the death and a cool character.

“We were both fairly calm out there. He knew exactly what he was going to try and do, and he executed outstandingly,” said Brook.

England all-rounder Will Jacks said: “Sam’s won us that game. It was ebbs and flows the whole way.

“I thought it was almost lost with six balls to go.”

‘He stands up’ 

Then 27th-ranked Italy, in their first World Cup, needed 30 from the last two overs in Kolkata on Monday for a giant-killing that could have left England’s World Cup hopes hanging by a thread.

Up stepped Curran again, bowling a masterful 19th over to snuff out Italian hopes.

He tied down the big-hitting Grant Stewart before removing him crucially for 45 and again conceded only five runs.

His heroics made the 24-run victory sound more comfortable than it was.

“He’s shown for the last two or three years that when the pressure is on, he stands up,” said England quick bowler Jamie Overton, whose task in bowling the subsequent 20th over against Italy was made a lot easier by Curran.

“And that’s the sort of cricketer he is.”

Curran was in the international wilderness a year ago but forced his way back into the England squad.

He has re-established himself as one of coach Brendon McCullum and captain Brook’s most trusted players.

Curran was in great touch on England’s pre-World Cup white ball tour of co-hosts Sri Lanka, where they will play all their Super Eight matches.

He took a maiden T20 international hat-trick against Sri Lanka three weeks ago in Kandy, the venue where the two sides will meet again on Sunday.

“He’s had a difficult sort of 12 months but he’s come back and it’s great to have him back,” said Overton.

The 27-year-old has been England’s one consistent player in their indifferent World Cup so far, delivering with either ball or bat in every match.

Batting at number six, the left-hander has scored 43 not out, 28 and 25 against the West Indies, Scotland and Italy respectively, contributing to some important partnerships.

Curran has kept England alive at the death.