Jofra Archer has been named in England’s provisional squad for the men’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka despite missing the final two Tests of the Ashes with injury.
Archer is continuing his recovery from a side strain and has been selected in a 15-man group for the tournament, which takes place in February and March. England believe the 30-year-old fast bowler will be fit in time, although he will not feature in the preceding one-day internationals or T20s against Sri Lanka.
The squad announcement comes after a bruising Ashes campaign in Australia, where England lost the series in the first three Tests. The World Cup is likely to offer further clarity on the direction of the men’s team under head coach Brendon McCullum and director of cricket Rob Key.
Jamie Smith has been left out of both the World Cup squad and the Sri Lanka tour after a difficult run of form, while Jordan Cox also misses out despite being the leading run-scorer in last year’s Hundred. In contrast, Josh Tongue has earned a call-up on the back of his breakthrough Ashes performances, despite never having played a white-ball international for England.
Captain Harry Brook leads a largely full-strength group despite the tight turnaround from the Ashes. England depart Australia after the fifth Test on 9 January and arrive in Sri Lanka on 18 January, with the first one-day international scheduled for 22 January.
The Sri Lanka tour includes three ODIs and three T20s and carries added significance. The one-day matches contribute to England’s attempt to qualify automatically for the 2027 50-over World Cup in southern Africa. Only the top nine teams in the ICC rankings secure automatic qualification, with England currently eighth.
Archer remains England’s premier white-ball fast bowler and is viewed as a central figure in their World Cup plans. He impressed earlier in the Ashes before being ruled out following the injury he sustained in the third Test in Adelaide. Brydon Carse will provide pace-bowling cover during the Sri Lanka tour.
Several players involved in the Ashes are set to feature in the white-ball fixtures, including Brook, Archer, Tongue, Joe Root, Jacob Bethell, Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley and Will Jacks. Root, who turns 35 this week, travels to Sri Lanka for the ODIs only and is expected to next play during the home summer.
Duckett has been retained in both squads despite a difficult Ashes and could open alongside Crawley in the one-day side as England search for a settled combination. Crawley has not played a List A match since December 2023.
Tongue, 28, has emerged as one of the few positives from the Ashes, taking 12 wickets in just two Tests. He has been selected for the T20 squad only, while Tom Banton has been chosen as middle-order batting cover ahead of Cox.
England’s spin options for the subcontinental conditions include Adil Rashid, Liam Dawson, Rehan Ahmed, Bethell and Jacks, who returns after missing the New Zealand tour with a broken finger.
England begin their T20 World Cup campaign against Nepal in Mumbai on 8 February. They are grouped with West Indies, Bangladesh and tournament debutants Italy, with matches split between Kolkata and Mumbai. A top-two finish would move them into the second group stage and a potential route towards the semi-finals.
England squad for ODIs in Sri Lanka:
Harry Brook (c), Rehan Ahmed, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Luke Wood.
England squad for T20s in Sri Lanka and T20 World Cup:
Harry Brook (c), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer (World Cup only), Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse (Sri Lanka tour only), Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Josh Tongue, Luke Wood.
