Hussain: England face first real test vs unbeaten West
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- Nasser Hussain implored England to "show their mettle" against unbeaten West Indies at Lord's on Wednesday in what he called "the toughest test" of their T20 World Cup campaign.
- England have won three matches — vs Sri Lanka by 87 runs, vs Ireland by four wickets, and vs Scotland by 38 runs — but Hussain labeled them an "unknown quantity" yet to face genuine pressure.
- Nat Sciver-Brunt remains sidelined with a calf injury, forcing Charlie Dean to stand in as captain for the must-win clash at Lord's.
- Sophia Dunkley created a selection headache by scoring 57 batting at No. 3 in Sciver-Brunt's absence during the Scotland win, though pundits say the top order still needs proving against stronger opposition.
- New Zealand, the defending champions, await England on Saturday at The Oval after the West Indies match, rounding out a brutal closing stretch of Group B.
- Natalie Germanos said England "haven't quite been put under pressure in this World Cup just yet," questioning whether the batting lineup is "100 per cent where it should be" for knockout cricket.
Why it matters: A win would give England top spot in Group B and likely avoid Australia in the semis, but Hussain and Germanos both noted that all three of their victories came against weaker opposition. The West Indies match is the first real measure of whether this England side — without injured captain Sciver-Brunt — can compete with the tournament's elite when the pressure rises.
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