Jos Buttler left red-faced as Michael Atherton unleashes fury on live TV after England knocked out of Champions Trophy 2025

Michael Atherton, a former England captain and now a respected broadcaster known for his sharp insights, conducted a thorough post-match interview with Jos Buttler, England's current white-ball captain, on live television after their exit from the 2025 Champions Trophy. The tournament kicked off with England's failure to defend a total of 351 against Australia in Lahore, and on Wednesday, Afghanistan clinched a win in another high-scoring match at the same venue. This was the second time in a row that Afghanistan had bested England in an ICC ODI tournament.

Although England started strong, reducing Afghanistan to 37/3 during the powerplay, they allowed their opponents to recover and post 325/7, thanks to an outstanding innings from Ibrahim Zadran (177 off 146). In their chase, England found themselves at 133/4 before Joe Root's brilliant performance reignited their hopes. However, Root's dismissal on the penultimate ball of the 46th over changed the game's dynamics, and England's lower order faltered under pressure, leading to their all-out for 317, just eight runs short of Afghanistan's total.

During the post-match presentation following England's defeat to Afghanistan, which ultimately led to their elimination from the Champions Trophy, Michael Atherton posed some challenging questions to captain Jos Buttler. Atherton inquired about the team's shortcomings, Buttler's own performance, and his future as captain.

In a tough post-match interview, Atherton asked Buttler for his reaction to the early exit of the team. Buttler expressed his disappointment at being knocked out of the tournament prematurely, acknowledging that they had missed opportunities during the game. Despite a thrilling match, Buttler admitted to feeling devastated to be on the losing side.

Atherton then delved into the shortcomings that had been exposed in the recent games, including the match against India. Buttler highlighted the need for one of the top six batters to support Joe Root's outstanding innings and take the game further. He praised the partnership between Root and Jamie Overton but acknowledged that the team had struggled in the last 10 overs with the ball.

Michael Atherton: You had a strong start with three wickets in the powerplay. How disappointing was the final total of 325?

Jos Buttler: Ibrahim deserves credit for his exceptional batting performance, as he played a fantastic innings. Reflecting on the fact that they scored 113 runs off the last 10 overs, it certainly pushed them to a very competitive total on that pitch.

Michael Atherton: It appeared to be a challenging 50 overs for various reasons. What about the injury to Mark Wood? How is he?

Jos Buttler: Unfortunately, in his fourth over, Wood felt discomfort in his knee. Despite the pain, he showed great character by continuing to bowl. His effort was truly remarkable.

Michael Atherton: You had Root bowling the 47th over and Livingstone the final over...

Jos Buttler: It was a challenging situation with Wood injured and Root bowling the 47th over. Livingstone was also off the field, but he deserves credit for returning to play.

Michael Atherton: Joe Root has played many outstanding innings, but have you seen him perform better in ODI cricket?

Jos Buttler: Root has been exceptional in all formats of the game. His ODI record speaks for itself. His recent innings showcased his character and ability to handle pressure in a run chase. If one of our top six batters had stayed with him longer, we could have secured a victory tonight.

Michael Atherton: ... And your own form? You showed promise, but it hasn't quite come together for you recently. Are there any specific reasons for this?

Jos Buttler: If I knew the reason, I would certainly address it. As one of the world's best players, it is disappointing when I don't perform at that level consistently.

Michael Atherton: England holds themselves to high standards in ICC events. This is the third disappointing performance in a row. How does this impact your captaincy?

Jos Buttler: I prefer not to make any emotional statements now. Obviously, for myself and the guys at the top, we should consider all possibilities.

This loss marked England's fifth straight defeat in ODIs, following a string of losses against India leading up to the Champions Trophy. Since their victory in the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, England's form has been declining, as they failed to advance past the semi-finals in the 2023 ODI World Cup and faced a similar outcome in last year's T20 World Cup, where they were outperformed by India in the semi-finals.

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