Would the real England please stand up. A set of strong performances in the pre tournament matches suggested that the initial difficulties of the Jos Buttler era in the summer were behind them and they were starting to blossom.
A win over Afghanistan, while far from perfect, got their tournament up and running, but this defeat to Ireland by five runs has stopped them in their tracks and already they will be at a crossroads on Friday against Australia.
That is the nature of T20 cricket, performances and results can differ wildly from game to game, but there is a nagging cloud hanging in the air.
Has their super strength - namely their batting - become their weakness owing to the fickle nature of form, the combinations they have picked and the ruthless nature of World Cup pressure cricket?
Their inability to get ahead of the DLS par score at any point during their innings against Ireland highlights a real problem. England cannot afford any more slip ups so they need to get this part of their game right against the Australians.
Alex Hales usually loves batting in Australia - when it is hot and dry, the pitches are flat and the ball is coming onto the bat bouncy and true. None of that has been the case so far. Ben Stokes is an incredible cricketer who can get into any team on the strength of his batting or bowling when he has form and fitness in that format behind him.
Unfortunately for him he is finding rhythm with the bat hard to come by having played such little T20 cricket of late. He has also got a chronic knee niggle causing him discomfort, even though he is happy to play through it.
And while his bowling demands he plays, perhaps a move to open or down the order where the demands are utterly clear cut might suit him better right now. Harry Brook has been a revelation in the early part of his England career so far, but his game management has been that of a young player in his first World Cup and it has cost him twice cheaply.
Beneath them all both Liam Livingstone and Moeen Ali are striking the ball far better as befits players who have lived on a diet of T20 cricket all year and have a bucket load of experience to go with it too.
This is not their first rodeo. It might be a gamble to make too many changes off the back of one defeat no matter how disappointing, but a reshuffle is in order.
This is not a well grooved team like the 2019 World Cup winners were, but when they lost to Sri Lanka and Australia and had to win each game thereafter they made a change with an out of form Moeen missing out and Liam Plunkett returning, while Jason Roy recovered from injury.
Buttler does not have Roy to call on here, although Phil Salt is waiting in the wings. Whether he decides to stick or twist with the current players in their current order is up to him, only the result on Friday will determine if it is the right decision, but against Ireland they got it badly wrong.
