Match-winner Jos Buttler praised England captain Eoin Morgan as a "pioneer" after his landmark 100th Twenty20 appearance in Tuesday's victory over India.
Buttler, whose unbeaten 83 eclipsed India skipper Virat Kohli's swashbuckling 77, said Morgan was an inspiration to up-and-coming England cricketers.
Morgan, 34, has revamped England's approach to limited-overs cricket, highlighted by their 2019 ODI World Cup win -- four years after they failed to get out of their pool in 2015.
"He's been a pioneer for English white-ball cricketers -– he was a pioneer as a player to start with and certainly as a captain and leader," Buttler said.
"He has always been someone who has been ahead of the curve."
Dublin-born Morgan became the first England men's player to play 100 T20 internationals in the eight-wicket win, which put the tourists 2-1 up in the five-match series.
Morgan has "taken England's white-ball cricket to places it's never been before and he's done it in a quite incredible way", Buttler said.
"He's a selfless guy but it's no mean achievement to reach 100 caps."
Morgan, who will lead England at the T20 World Cup in India later this year, said receiving the 100th cap from his "great friend" Buttler was an emotional moment.
"It nearly brought me to tears to be honest," Morgan said of Buttler's short address to the team.
"Playing in 100 games is a proud moment for me but the words that he said really did warm my heart and I am very grateful," said the captain.
Buttler, 30, admitted he sometimes felt under pressure to retain his opening spot, a position he has held since 2018.
"I don't know if it will ever end, people seem to quite enjoy talking about it. I certainly feel the pressure of that sometimes," he said.
"We have lots of guys who would love to bat in that opening position. For most people it's probably the best place to bat in the game.
"But I know I've got the full backing of Morgs to go and do it, which gives me a lot of confidence.
"I know Morgs is keen for me to open in this team and I do it with his backing."
UK life sciences sector contributed £17.6bn GVA in 2021 and supports 126,000 high-skilled jobs.
Inward life sciences FDI fell by 58 per cent from £1,897m in 2021 to £795m in 2023.
Experts warn NHS underinvestment and NICE pricing rules are deterring innovation and patient access.
Investment gap
Britain is seeking to attract new pharmaceutical investment as part of its plan to strengthen the life sciences sector, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said during meetings in Washington this week. “We do need to make sure that we are an attractive place for pharmaceuticals, and that includes on pricing, but in return for that, we want to see more investment flow to Britain,” Reeves told reporters.
Recent ABPI report, ‘Creating the conditions for investment and growth’, The UK’s pharmaceutical industry is integral to both the country’s health and growth missions, contributing £17.6 billion in direct gross value added (GVA) annually and supporting 126,000 high-skilled jobs across the nation. It also invests more in research and development (R&D) than any other sector. Yet inward life sciences foreign direct investment (FDI) fell by 58per cent, from £1,897 million in 2021 to £795 million in 2023, while pharmaceutical R&D investment in the UK lagged behind global growth trends, costing an estimated £1.3 billion in lost investment in 2023 alone.
Richard Torbett, ABPI Chief Executive, noted “The UK can lead globally in medicines and vaccines, unlocking billions in R&D investment and improving patient access but only if barriers are removed and innovation rewarded.”
The UK invests just 9% of healthcare spending in medicines, compared with 17% in Spain, and only 37% of new medicines are made fully available for their licensed indications, compared to 90% in Germany.
Expert reviews
Shailesh Solanki, executive editor of Pharmacy Business, pointed that “The government’s own review shows the sector is underfunded by about £2 billion per year. To make transformation a reality, this gap must be closed with clear plans for investment in people, premises and technology.”
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) cost-effectiveness threshold £20,000 to £30,000 per Quality-Adjusted Life Year (QALY) — has remained unchanged for over two decades, delaying or deterring new medicine launches. Raising it is viewed as vital to attracting foreign investment, expanding patient access, and maintaining the UK’s global standing in life sciences.
Guy Oliver, General Manager for Bristol Myers Squibb UK and Ireland, noted that " the current VPAG rate is leaving UK patients behind other countries, forcing cuts to NHS partnerships, clinical trials, and workforce despite government growth ambitions".
Reeves’ push for reform, supported by the ABPI’s Competitiveness Framework, underlines Britain’s intent to stay a leading hub for pharmaceutical innovation while ensuring NHS patients will gain faster access to new treatments.
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