Cricket World Cup: Get tough for must-win - Moores

England coach Peter Moores talks with Moeen Ali during an England nets session. Photo / Getty Images

England coach Peter Moores stops short of describing them as chokers but is challenging his players to prove they can cope with the pressure of a do-or-die World Cup game.

England must defeat Bangladesh at Adelaide Oval today to have any hope of reaching the quarter-finals.

England have been walloped by Australia (by 111 runs), New Zealand (by eight wickets) and Sri Lanka (by nine wickets) with just a win over minnows Scotland in the tournament.

Moores concedes his players have failed when playing the "tough men" of international cricket.

"International cricket is played by tough men and there's no compromise in that," Moores said.

"When people come into that environment, sometimes they have to get used to it.

"In our preparation I only see a lot of people very excited to play. And they feel they have got a point to prove and they want to go out and start proving that and the only place you can do that is on the cricket field."

Moores said there would be intense pressure on England against Bangladesh, who will advance to the quarter-finals at England's expense with a win today.

Even if Moores' side win, they're not assured of making the finals - they will be tipped out if Bangladesh beat New Zealand in their last pool match, regardless of the outcome of England's last game against Afghanistan.

"There is pressure in the World Cup and there is certainly pressure on us as a team because we haven't played as well as we would have liked to have done," Moores said. "And we know we have to win the game.

"International cricket is about being able to handle pressure and we have had some challenges, that is for sure.

"We have got a mix of experienced and young players and that ability to be able to handle pressure and play under pressure is part of being an international player.

"We are very aware of it and we're up for that challenge."

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- AAP