Liam Livingstone, England all-rounder has said that doing well in IPL 2022 has given him plenty of confidence. The hard-hitting batter feels playing in the cash-rich league has helped them gather experience ahead of the 50-over World Cup in India next year.
Liam Livingstone was one of the most expensive players in the IPL 2022 mega auction, fetching INR 11.5 crore from Punjab Kings, and he lived up to expectations. The 28-year-old scored 437 runs at a strike rate of 182.08 in 14 games, averaging 36.41. He had only managed 112 runs in nine innings between 2019 and 2021.
Liam Livingstone: It Was Nice To Finally Get The Monkey Off My Back About Not Being Able To Do It In The IPL
Speaking after training ahead of the third ODI against the Netherlands on Tuesday, Liam Livingstone said that given it is the best T20 league in the world, he was looking forward to doing well. The leg-spinner, who also took 6 wickets in IPL 2022 also feels that with the World Cup looming, any experience is handy.
“I don’t think it could have gone any worse to be honest. There was only one way and that was up. I hadn’t really had too much opportunity before but there’s always people who say certain things. It’s the biggest tournament in the world, so it was nice to be able to do well. It was nice to finally get the monkey off my back about not being able to do it in the IPL,” he said.
He continued: “It was nice to have a clear role. We go away and play in the IPL so that we can become accustomed to their conditions and that ultimately will help England in a World Cup next year. Any experience you get around the world with World Cups coming up is a great thing to have so I really enjoyed it.”
The right-handed batter was at his best in the first ODI against the Netherlands when England smashed a record-breaking 498. Alongside Jos Buttler, Liam Livingstone also grabbed the spotlight with a 17-ball fifty and eventually finished unbeaten on 66 off 22 deliveries.
In the 1st ODI, England was asked to bat first and they put on an outrageous show. They lost Jason Roy in the second over itself but since then they were all over the Netherlands. Philip Salt, Jos Buttler, and Dawid Malan all brought up their centuries. Liam Livingstone scored a blistering knock of 66 off 22 balls and guided England to a total of 498 which is now the highest ODI total. They smashed 26 sixes and 36 fours in their innings.
Liam Livingstone: Going Hard From The Onset Is Becoming More Familiar
The 28-year-old also acknowledged that going hard from the get-go requires plenty of practice and believes it’s what has earned him a spot in the England team. However, he admitted that on some days, that approach might not work.
“It’s something that’s probably got me into this team. It’s starting to become a little bit more familiar now: I did it throughout the whole of the IPL and have done it more and more in the England team. A lot of it comes from practice.”
He continued: “One of the biggest things we’ve got from this group is the trust that it’s not always going to come off: some days it’s not going to work out and that’s absolutely fine. We’ve got trust in everybody’s ability around us that if it’s not your day, somebody else will do it for you.”
In the 2nd ODI, set 236 to win a match reduced to 41 overs per side after a wet outfield delayed the start by nearly three hours, England overhauled the target with 29 balls to spare ahead of the final fixture on Wednesday. Scott Edwards, standing in as captain for Pieter Seelaar – who announced his retirement while sitting out the match with a persistent back injury – led the Netherlands to 235 for 7 with an excellent 78 off 73 balls.
Half-centuries to Philip Salt and Jason Roy saw England to victory by six wickets and an unassailable 2-0 series lead against the Netherlands at Amstelveen. England has already sealed the three-game ODI series, with the third match to start on Wednesday.