England World Cup-winning stars visit Downing Street to meet PM Rishi Sunak

Toby Marshall
25 March 2023
England's World Cup-winning stars visit Downing Street

The British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, had a special meet with the members of England T20 World Cup-winning team at his residence in 10 Downing Street. The delegation, led by captain Jos Buttler and head coach Matthew Mott, visited Sunak on Wednesday to celebrate their victory over Pakistan in the final match.

During the meet, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak joined in a game of cricket with the England team, rolling up the sleeves of his formal shirt and facing deliveries from Sam Curran and Chris Jordan in the garden of his official residence.

A video of the game was posted on Twitter by Luca Boffa, who is the senior videographer to the Prime Minister. In the video, Sunak can be seen trying his hand at bowling a few deliveries. These events are expected to have been a fun and exciting way for the British Prime Minister to connect with the victorious cricket team.

Jos Buttler, England’s limited-overs captain, shared photos on Twitter from the team’s meeting at 10 Downing Street. The photos showed Buttler and his teammates posing with the T20 World Cup trophy at the famous front porch of the Prime Minister’s residence.

Other players present in the photos included Liam Livingstone, Malan, Phil Salt, Woakes, Richard Gleeson, and Tymal Mills. Richard Thompson, the chairman of the England Cricket Board, and Rob Key, England’s director of men’s cricket, also accompanied the T20 World Cup winning team to the Prime Minister’s residence.

The successful T20 World Cup-winning team from England was invited to a special meeting with the British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, at his official residence in 10 Downing Street. During the meeting, Sunak expressed his admiration for the team’s victory against Pakistan and praised them for inspiring young people to take up the sport of cricket.

The Prime Minister also commended the ACE programme, which has received funding from the government and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), for its role in opening up the game and making it more accessible to people from all backgrounds.

ACE operates in six inner cities across the country and has helped many young players move into cricketing academies and professional teams. Launched in 2020, the programme not only focuses on talent development but also aims to recruit more coaches and volunteers and encourage the entire community to engage with cricket.

Bairstow to miss IPL 2023; Livingstone set to go

Jonny Bairstow will not participate in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) due to a refusal by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to provide him with a No Objection Certificate (NOC).

Bairstow, who sustained a leg injury in September 2021, is still recuperating from his injury. Liam Livingstone, on the other hand, has been given clearance by the ECB to play in the tournament after recovering from his knee and ankle injuries.

During the IPL auction, Punjab Kings had acquired both Livingstone and Bairstow for Rs 11.50 crores and Rs 6.75 crores respectively, however, Bairstow’s inability to participate will be a setback for the team. Bairstow’s disappointing IPL season in 2022, where he only managed to score 253 runs from 11 innings and averaged just 23, could also have played a role in the board’s decision.

Bairstow is expected to make his return to competitive cricket by playing for Yorkshire in the County Championship Division Two, although the exact date has yet to be determined.

Author Toby Marshall