Cricket: Joe Root bids to learn from Champions Trophy agony

England's Joe Root shows his dejection as he leaves the field after being dismissed for 46 during the ICC Champions Trophy, semi-final match at the Cardiff Wales Stadium

The hosts were way short of recent high standards on Wednesday as they failed to adapt to a used pitch and were knocked out of the Champions Trophy with a crushing eight-wicket semi-final defeat against Pakistan.

England faltered from 128 for two to lose their last eight wickets for just 83 runs in under 23 overs on a low, slow surface.

Joe Root, who top-scored for England with 46, hopes he and the team can learn from the setback as they eye the chance to lift the World Cup on home soil in 2019.

“I’m just very disappointed,” said Root. “We’ve played some really good cricket throughout the whole of this summer, and it was frustrating not being able to do it (this time). This doesn’t feel great but there’s a lot of cricket still to play this summer, and we’ve got to make sure we’re right for that.

“This was a golden chance to win a tournament at home, and I think all we can do now is keep looking towards that World Cup and use this as a really good platform.”

“We know we’re not the finished article.

“We have made huge strides and we’ve got to continue to work out ways to get on the right side of these scenarios when things aren’t favourable to us.

“But more than anything we’ve got to keep that drive we’ve had over the last 18 months to keep getting better - so when that World Cup does come around we’re in the best shape possible to give ourselves the best chance of contending in that final.”