Jacob Bethell described England's T20 World Cup semi-final defeat by India as 'a tough pill to swallow' after his first century in the format failed to prevent his team's elimination in Thursday's record-breaking run-fest in Mumbai. The 22-year-old became just the fourth Englishman to score centuries in all three international formats, reaching triple figures off 45 balls as England were set a daunting target of 253.
Bethell's maiden T20 hundred followed his first-class ton in the Ashes Test in Sydney, where his second-innings 154 also came in a losing cause. 'It's a weird feeling,' he said. 'Both of those are tough pills to swallow but I'm very proud of the way I went about both knocks.' He added that the team's mood at the innings break had been entirely optimistic, with 'tunes on' and everyone ready to chase.
Bethell joked with Harry Brook about who would be first to score a century in all formats, with Brook achieving the feat a week earlier. 'Both of us can be very proud of ourselves but at the end of the day his came in a winning cause and mine in a losing cause. He'll always have that up on me,' Bethell said.
The Warwickshire left-hander now has eight or nine days off before reporting for the Indian Premier League season with Royal Challengers Bengaluru. He reflected on a long winter that has seen his game evolve significantly, saying, 'I've enjoyed every minute out on the field playing for England. That's all I can really take from it.'
