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England name ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 squad

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England Men's selection panel have named a provisional squad for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and United States of America starting in June and the preceding four-match Vitality IT20 series against Pakistan, which gets underway next month in Leeds.

England Provisional ICC Men's T20 World Cup & Vitality IT20 Squad versus Pakistan Squad:

Jos Buttler (Lancashire) Captain

Moeen Ali (Warwickshire)

Jofra Archer (Sussex)

Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire)

Harry Brook (Yorkshire)

Sam Curran (Surrey)

Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire)

Tom Hartley (Lancashire)

Will Jacks (Surrey)

Chris Jordan (Surrey)

Liam Livingstone (Lancashire)

Adil Rashid (Yorkshire)

Phil Salt (Lancashire)

Reece Topley (Surrey)

Mark Wood (Durham)

Sussex quick bowler Jofra Archer has recovered from his right elbow injury and is named in the squad. Archer’s last appearance at this level came over a year ago in England’s tour of Bangladesh in March 2023.

Lancashire left-arm spinning all-rounder Tom Hartley is the sole uncapped player and, along with Surrey batter Will Jacks, are the only players not to feature at an ICC World tournament previously.

Selected players, currently playing in the Indian Premier League, will return in time for the series against Pakistan, which gets underway at Headingley on Wednesday 22 May 2024.

The World Cup squad will fly to the Caribbean on 31 May ahead of England’s opening group match against Scotland at the Kensington Oval, Barbados, on Wednesday 4 June.

ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 – England's Group Fixtures:

England v Scotland, Tuesday 4 June 2024, Kensington Oval, Barbados (10.30am local)

Australia v England. Saturday 8 June 2024, Kensington Oval, Barbados (1.00pm local)

England v Oman, Thursday 13 June 2024, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua and Barbuda (3.00pm local)

Namibia v England, Saturday 15 June 2024, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua and Barbuda (1.00pm local)

England Men's Vitality IT20 Series versus Pakistan:

1st IT20: England v Pakistan, Wednesday 22 May 2024, Headingley, Leeds (6.30pm local)

2nd IT20: England v Pakistan, Saturday 25 May 2024, Edgbaston, Birmingham (2.30pm local)

3rd IT20: England v Pakistan, Tuesday 28 May 2024, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff (6.30pm local)

4th IT20: England v Pakistan, Thursday30 May 2024, The Kia Oval, London (6.30pm local)

ECB​
 
It looks like the type side that are equally likely to score 200+ as they are to concede it.

I'm quite surprised at Hartley being called up but they really don't have any other spinners.
 
Jofra makes his way into the provisional squad as well. Not sure if he is fit to play a game or just a name?
 
DeadlyVenom said:
It looks like the type side that are equally likely to score 200+ as they are to concede it.

I'm quite surprised at Hartley being called up but they really don't have any other spinners.
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Hain? They were playing Rehan Ahmed all this while. They have picked Hartley purely for his batting, I suspect.
 
Nikhil_cric said:
Hain? They were playing Rehan Ahmed all this while. They have picked Hartley purely for his batting, I suspect.
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He has been out of form ( albeit in Test/FC) for a while. The Indian tour was quite disappointing for him too. I guess they didn't want to take the risk and also include two leggies. England never seem to know what to do with a leggie so two in one world cup squad might have pushed them over the edge.
 
DeadlyVenom said:
He has been out of form ( albeit in Test/FC) for a while. The Indian tour was quite disappointing for him too. I guess they didn't want to take the risk and also include two leggies. England never seem to know what to do with a leggie so two in one world cup squad might have pushed them over the edge.
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I think Hartley will do better job than rehan. He bowled nicely on Indian tour and can use the spin friendly condition better.
 
Rehan is a better white ball spinner and Shoaib Bashir is the better Test match spinner .

But I guess England wanted an SLA in the squad and he can slog a few.
 
Rana said:
Tabahi squad

And they are mostly in good form
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They are packed with aggressive batters. Imagine a guy like Cohler Cadmore potentially never making his white ball debut. Here in Pakistan he would've been our best T20I batter
 
ECB calling back all their players from the IPL for the Pakistan series just because their hosting it, if they were travelling to Pakistan they’d have sent their reserves…
 
RidiculousMan said:
They are packed with aggressive batters. Imagine a guy like Cohler Cadmore potentially never making his white ball debut. Here in Pakistan he would've been our best T20I batter
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Here in Pakistan Hafeez would tell him to first prove himself in our domestic cricket, score runs and then make your way into the national side.
 
Mental midget Moeen continues to survive. Incredible.

England will be a force if they bat second but a rubbish side if they bat first. Their bowling is not capable of defending totals.
 
Mamoon said:
Mental midget Moeen continues to survive. Incredible.

England will be a force if they bat second but a rubbish side if they bat first. Their bowling is not capable of defending totals.
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Moeen is a mental midget but Babar is a champion captain????
 
DeadlyVenom said:
It looks like the type side that are equally likely to score 200+ as they are to concede it.

I'm quite surprised at Hartley being called up but they really don't have any other spinners.
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They key to England’s success has been not going down the stats rabbit hole and looking at who they need for specific team requirements and whether it fits the overall strategy, and they’ve been flexible to with their selections I think
 
The defending champions have a good squad here, I dont see them going all the way this time around but do see them making semi finals
 
Awesome squad except moeen ali and Jordan. Cant believe Jordan is there. absolutely useless bowler. But potential wc winning squad
 
Baistrow
Phil Salt
Buttler
Duckett
Harry Brook
Livingstone
Moeen Ali
Sam Curran
Wood
Archer
Rashid
 
England have 5-6 players who can hit 40 ball tons

Butler
Salt
Bairstow
Jacks
Brook
Livingstone?

Unreal power
 
Bowling doesn't look great.

Wood got lashed in the 50 over WC and Archer is an unknown quantity after the injury lay off.
 
Rana said:
No Dawid Malan

England are going full throttle this time

No anchor
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It's good, Malan wasn't good for the team, although in 2023 he kinda was the only inform batter.

But now he's not needed. England isn't Pakistan lol
 
Probably the most aggressive batting lineup in the WC that will back themselves to both set and chase mammoth totals.
Bowling weakness may come to hurt them, just depends on how often the full-on aggression risk fails
 
Buttler, Jacks, Salt and Livingstone.

You have 4 200+ S/R batsmen in the Top 6.

Then they have Bairstow and Brook who can score at 160-180 S/R.

If this was India, they would select Root and Malan in the batting lineup.
 
MANU ROY said:
No kl Rahul to
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KL shot himself in the foot by opening and scoring at 130 S/R in this IPL. Though he is scoring runs, he is too slow and he is competing with Jaiswal and Rohit at the top.

KL should have assumed the finisher role. He has the shots to close the game.
 

England duo can push Test case at T20 World Cup - Key​

Jonny Bairstow and Phil Salt can “absolutely” push their credentials to be England’s Test wicketkeeper during the T20 World Cup, says managing director Rob Key.

England Test coach Brendon McCullum said he needs to “work out” who will take the gloves for the series against West Indies in July.

By then, Bairstow will have gone four months without a first-class game, while Salt has not played red-ball cricket since September.

“The decision on who keeps in the Test team won’t be on if someone has played Championship cricket or not,” Key told BBC Sport.

“We will think about who is the best person to do the job for the role that we require and that’s how we will make the decision.”

Ben Foakes was England’s keeper for the 4-1 series defeat in India, with Bairstow playing as a specialist batter after donning the gloves for last summer’s Ashes.

After the loss in India, McCullum said of the Test keeping position: "We'll work that out in time. Whatever we decide, we will put the investment and the support in, and try to give the most amount of time for that to be successful."

Any decisions England take over the Test side this summer will partly be with the 2025-26 Ashes series in Australia in mind.

Along with Foakes and Bairstow, Lancashire’s Salt might come into the reckoning. The 27-year-old has been in blistering form in T20 cricket and is currently the leading overseas run-scorer in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Another candidate would be Durham’s Ollie Robinson. The 25-year-old, who has experience with England Lions, has passed 50 in all five of his County Championship innings this season.

“No-one will be ruled out,” said Key.

Neither Salt nor Bairstow are expected to keep at the T20 World Cup, with captain Jos Buttler set to take the gloves despite not keeping for part of England’s tour of West Indies in December and again in the IPL.

“He captains very well with the gloves,” said Key. “He’s the heartbeat of the team and the focal point for everyone.”

However, England may need a stand-in keeper and captain during the four-match series against Pakistan, beginning on 22 May, with Buttler due to attend the birth of his third child.

The reigning champions have recalled pace bowler Jofra Archer after a year out injured for the World Cup in the Caribbean and United States in June.

England begin their defence of the trophy they won in Australia in 2022 against Scotland in Barbados on 4 June.

They do so after an awful campaign at the 50-over World Cup in India last autumn, where they were also defending champions but won only three of their nine matches.

But Key denied there was additional pressure on captain Buttler and coach Matthew Mott to oversee a strong campaign at the T20 World Cup.

“When it comes to being a coach and captain, it’s about getting your players playing as well as they can,” said Key. “Let’s focus on that. Don’t worry about the end result.

“Every team wants to win. We have as good a chance as any.”

Source: BBC
 
Former England captains Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain discussed the squad announcement in the latest Cricket podcast, where they reflected on all the talking points and had a closer look at how they could line-up during the tournament.

Atherton: "It's a fairly predictable squad, there's a strong nucleus of experienced players with a bit of fresh blood in the likes of Jacks and Hartley. There's no real bolter, that nobody has thought about, that suddenly have been picked by the selectors. If we were going to pick 15 names, we would pretty much come up with that kind of 15."

Is Archer's selection a gamble?

Atherton: "He will definitely improve England's side if he's available, because he's a multi-phase bowler. He can bowl quick with the new ball, he can come on and bowl thunderbolts in the middle of an innings for an over or two if you need it, then clearly has his ability at the death to bowl yorkers."

Hussain: "You'd say that Jofra is the headline act, isn't he? He did an interview recently where he said not sure he could go through another (long injury). We wish Jofra well because he is absolutely box office."

How will England's batting line-up look?

Hussain: "Jos Buttler and Salt are probably going to open after what happened in the Caribbean. Will Jacks after what happened in the IPL probably comes in at No 3 and then Bairstow there at No 4. You would say all four of those would like to bat in the top three, if not open."

"Could we see Brook at four or even Duckett at four? In the absence of Ben Stokes, who said he wasn't going to be considered for this, could Duckett come into that side as a left-hander? Or is he just a spare batter?"

Atherton: "I thought they'd go Buttler, Salt, Jacks, Bairstow, Brook, Livingstone as the top six. You've then got a couple of left-handers in there in Moeen and Curran who could float if you need them to.

"The one issue there in that top six - if it is that - is that it is a right-hander heavy top six. It's nice to have the option of mixing left and right, so I'm sure that played to Duckett's advantage."

Is the balance of England's squad right?

Atherton: "Somebody like Max Holden can't be far away and I think he's somebody whose T20 game has come on leaps and bounds for Middlesex. Tom Kohler-Cadmore was probably in the conversation and Jordan Cox maybe, who's just moved to Essex.

"Duckett's been around the team for a year or two, made that transition to international cricket pretty well and if he's not in the first choice top six, then he's good spare batter to have. He's an excellent player of spin and an excellent sweeper."

Hussain: "I was asked to do my side and I had both Woakes and Jordan in because I wouldn't have taken the extra batter, because there's so many batting options in there. Jordan is brilliant in all phases, is great in the field and he scores very useful runs down the order."

Will Buttler keep the gloves or pass to Salt?

Atherton: "If I was Matthew [Mott], I'd just say to Jos 'What do you want to do?' If he's more comfortable and he feels that it's going to be of the teams' benefit to be an outfielder, then Salt can keep wicket.

"Jos knows in his heart of hearts what he wants and what he thinks will be best. He's the main man, he's the captain and he's such an important player at the top of the order. As we've seen as he's come into form in the IPL, it makes a massive difference when Buttler is doing well."

Is there pressure on England?

Hussain: "T20 is a lottery anyway, but to win this thing with some of the sides out there, is going to be the hardest. You look at the host nation in the West Indies, you look at South Africa and their batting line-up.

"India are coming into this off the back of the IPL and some of the players coming into form, then Australia are looking for the treble of the 50-over, 20-over and the Test Championship, so they're hoping for the full whack. There are a lot of good teams."

Atherton: "I'm not sure you can judge England on whether they win this tournament because T20 is more of a lottery and is very difficult to call the winners. What they have to be judged on in this tournament, Mott and Buttler, is just getting most of the big decisions right.

"I don't think you can be guaranteed to win it, even if you do, but you want to see evidence that the ship is run well. I think what was evident from India in the 50-over World Cup is that too many things went well that were in their control, so they've got to have a better tournament than that."
 
Champ_Pal said:
Buttler, Jacks, Salt and Livingstone.

You have 4 200+ S/R batsmen in the Top 6.

Then they have Bairstow and Brook who can score at 160-180 S/R.

If this was India, they would select Root and Malan in the batting lineup.
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They played all 4 and still lost T20 series in the Caribbean.

If the pitches aid spin/are slow, this right hander heavy lineup stands exposed.

Not the greatest bowling lineup either unless Archer is fit and at his best .
 
Remember when Buttler said 'England weren't defending anything?' before the start of the World Cup? I hope they don't make any kind of stupid statements this time.

I am very interested to see how they do. Considering that the batting is full of hitters and the West Indies pitches may not necessarily be 200+ pitches. There could be alot for the spinners on these pitches, which England have often struggled against.
 
RedwoodOriginal said:
Remember when Buttler said 'England weren't defending anything?' before the start of the World Cup? I hope they don't make any kind of stupid statements this time.

I am very interested to see how they do. Considering that the batting is full of hitters and the West Indies pitches may not necessarily be 200+ pitches. There could be alot for the spinners on these pitches, which England have often struggled against.
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They will still smash Pakistan with their eyes closed.
 

Chris Jordan: ‘We will be hunted but our T20 pedigree is pretty strong’​


After England showed their hand for the T20 World Cup in the week, Jofra Archer fired up his Instagram live, transporting anyone who clicked to the sunshine of Barbados. It was a hardworking net session firing down white Kookaburras alongside Chris Jordan, his friend being the second headline recall on the day.

Their stories have been intertwined over the years, Jordan first to cross the Atlantic to pursue his dream in English cricket as a teenager and then older brother and mentor when Archer, six years his junior, followed suit. Before Archer made that stirring Test debut at Lord’s five years ago he requested Jordan present the cap, CJ nailing the speech like a trademark yorker as his young sidekick swelled with pride.

All things being well, the pair are now about to play their first global tournament together, Jordan having missed the cut when Archer scorched England to the 50-over World Cup title in 2019 and Archer injured when Jordan walked off a T20 champion at the MCG in late 2022. Rather poetically the campaign starts (and hopefully ends, given it hosts the final) at Bridgetown’s evocative Kensington Oval.

“The Kensington Oval has a special place in my heart,” says Jordan, speaking from a spell of warm weather training before returning to Surrey next week. “Growing up at school we used to play finals there and it’s where I watched my first ever cricket match. It was West Indies versus England, I was maybe five and I remember the atmosphere vividly, the vibe that first morning, the conch shells blowing …”

Archer is yet to play international cricket in the Caribbean by dint of the injury curse that has blighted him in recent years; those repeat stress fractures that everyone hopes are in the past. “I’d say he’s in a real happy place,” says Jordan. “I feel he can see the light at the end of the tunnel. A World Cup, playing for England, and also playing in the Caribbean for the first time ... it’s one of his bucket list things to tick off. He’s working so hard and he’s pretty much up to speed from training with him this past week.

“I haven’t batted against him yet – we haven’t resumed our rivalry – but I’m not dodging him. What he gives me I can give him back, maybe not quite at the same pace – he’s a little bit quicker – but I’m quick enough. We do bowl a few bouncers at each other but it’s all in good fun; we just haven’t faced each other yet.”

Kensington Oval also witnessed Jordan’s first international in front of his family, a T20 in 2014 in which he “hit a few sixes” [four in eight balls], “took a few wickets” [three for 39] and held two catches – the kind of all-round performance that, 10 years on, England are hoping will come to the fore this June. In some ways calling up the country’s highest wicket-taking seamer in T20 internationals (96) should be no shock, equally the 35-year-old’s recall owes much to rich form as a lower order hitter: a short-form average of 30 and strike rate of 160 since the start of last summer.

“I wasn’t expecting the call but I never ruled it out either,” says Jordan, who was not picked for the Caribbean tour last December. “I had good communication with the hierarchy and they suggested they would look at franchise form. In terms of batting, the penny drops with different people at different times, I guess. Down the order can be hit or miss but I have started to manage my expectations on what a good knock looks like and play the situation. I keep my breathing under control and nice and rhythmic, and also I do my homework on opposition.”

Such level-headedness under pressure is what has made Jordan a trusted and an ever-willing death bowler in T20 over the years, while the talk of homework and visualisation brings us onto arguably his forte: fielding. Even if Jordan doesn’t make the XI – and the way Rob Key was talking, this sounds unlikely – England will be able to call on arguably the No 1 outfielder in the world any time a player leaves the field. The work that goes into this discipline – those reflex grabs, those Matrix-like dives, or the sheer Air Jordan madness on the boundary rope – is fascinating.

“Growing up I played a lot of different sports,” says Jordan. “Basketball, hockey, tennis, football, it all developed my hand-eye coordination. And one of the big things is situation awareness and a lot of anticipation. When I move into a position, within 10 seconds or so I have assessed at least eight to 10 ways the ball could come to me. It sounds a lot but over a period of time you build up the knowledge. I get a feel for my space, and visualise, so when the ball comes I’ve already played it.

“And a lot of it comes down to practising slip catching. It really sorts out your out-fielding because you build trust in your hands. At slip you’re so close and your body is not always in the exact right spot, so you have to trust your hands in that split second. In the outfield, when the ball is in the final third [of its trajectory] and you’re running full speed or diving, a lot of the same principles apply.”

It is the kind of clear, crisp insight that sees Jordan tipped to be a fine coach in retirement, if he chooses, and perhaps a fourth tick for the selectors in the short term too. A lack of local knowledge was among the diagnoses for England’s grim 50-over World Cup in India last year but in the Caribbean there should be no shortage. Keiron Pollard, the Trinidadian T20 pioneer, has been drafted in as consultant coach, while in Archer and Jordan they have two sons of Barbados.

“We’ll definitely bring that knowledge of conditions,” says Jordan. “Understanding the cross winds is one example – that’s pretty unique to the Caribbean. It’s trying to be smart with it, not get carried away, especially during the day games as it can often drop at night.”

Phil Salt, glowing with form of late, also lived on the island for six years growing up. Jordan was 17 when they first met, Salt stopping him for a photograph at a charity match in Surrey and the pair later going on to become teammates at Sussex. “He was always really inquisitive about what it takes to succeed at the top level and we struck up a bond,” says Jordan. “He’s absolutely killing it at the moment.”

“It’s also a unique tournament and guys who weren’t in form [in the 50-over World Cup] are definitely in form now. We are defending champions, so it’s important to understand we will be hunted, 100%, so we must match or surpass the other teams’ intensity. But check it out, the last three T20 World Cups we’ve been finalists, semi-finalists and champions, so our pedigree in this format is pretty strong.”

Ten years an England cricketer, a World Cup winner who never shirks the clutch moments and is mentor to others, the same can be said about Jordan himself.

www.theguardian.com

Chris Jordan: ‘We will be hunted but our T20 pedigree is pretty strong’

The veteran all-rounder tells Ali Martin he is confident his local knowledge and coolness under pressure can help England retain their T20 World Cup title in the Caribbean
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
 

Manchester City psychologist to help England team ahead of T20 World Cup 2024​


England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have hired the psychologist of Manchester City for their men's team ahead of the T20 World Cup that is to be played in the West Indies and the USA. The step has been taken by their white-ball head coach Matthew Mott who wants his players to remain emotionally vulnerable when they come under pressure.

David Young has worked with Manchester City especially during the period of massive success for them including their fourth successive Premier League title that they won recently. Meanwhile, ECB has taken City's approval to seek Young's services and he will be with the team on a short-term basis ahead of the mega event. Interestingly, Young was with England side from 2016 to 2020 as well when they won the ODI World Cup in 2019.

England's captain Jos Buttler had credited Young back then for performing in the final against New Zealand that went right down the wire. "He's previously been with the team and he's already been a great ally in messages back to me, making sure my messages are clear. It's always good to have someone who's a little bit removed from the squad to make sure you're landing your messages… He's still doing other roles but we've got him for this series, and the start of the World Cup as well," Mott said.

Mott recalled England's poor show in the ODI World Cup last year and is learning from the mistakes team made during the mega event in India. They entered the tournament as defending champions and were among the first teams to get knocked out with only three wins from nine matches. "When you've had the kick in the pants like we've had, you can't just go 'business as usual'. You have to redefine how you go as a team.

"As a group, we've made a commitment to be a bit more open in and around our training sessions, to help each other out a bit more. In India, all of us were guilty of being a bit insular, and trying to problem-solve ourselves. We've made a commitment to open up and be a bit more vulnerable as a group so that we're helping each other," Mott added.

www.indiatvnews.com

Manchester City psychologist to help England team ahead of T20 World Cup 2024

England won the T20 World Cup a couple of years ago in Australia beating Pakistan in the final at the MCG. The upcoming mega event will commence on June 1 in the West Indies and the USA and England will be looking to defend their title.
www.indiatvnews.com www.indiatvnews.com
 
Moeen Ali says he is ready to lead England at the Twenty20 World Cup if Jos Buttler misses part of the tournament on paternity leave

Captain Buttler’s third child is due imminently, with England playing their World Cup opener against Scotland in Barbados on 4 June.

Vice-captain Moeen has previously led England in one one-day international and 12 T20s.

“I feel I’ve captained enough for England,” Moeen told BBC Sport. “Where he leaves, I just pick it up and then when he comes back he just takes over again.”

England hope to get their series against Pakistan under way at Edgbaston on Saturday, after the first match at Headingley was washed out on Wednesday.

They are then due to play in Cardiff on Tuesday and at The Oval on Thursday, before leaving for the Caribbean on 31 May.

Wicketkeeper Buttler has said he will be at the birth, even if it means missing a portion of England’s World Cup defence.

All-rounder Moeen added: “Whatever will happen, will happen. It’s not really difficult, because we speak often, me and Jos. We’re on the same page.”

Along with Buttler, Moeen is one of only four players in this England squad that played in the 50-over World Cup success of 2019 and again when the T20 title was won in Australia in 2022. Mark Wood and Adil Rashid are the other two.

At 36, Moeen has a one-year England central contract that expires in the autumn. He has retired from Test cricket and says this World Cup could be the end of his international career.

“If I'm playing well, I want to carry on playing,” he said. “I've never put a number on it.

“It could be at the World Cup if I'm not playing so well, or whatever it is, and I decide ‘OK, this is the time’.

“There's no time on it. If I'm playing really well, and my body's good, then I want to carry on playing for as long as I can.”

Following the abandonment in Leeds, Jofra Archer will again try to make his England comeback in Birmingham. The pace bowler has not played international cricket since last March following a recurrence of an elbow injury.

Liam Livingstone has also recovered from a knee injury and is likely to be available, but Wood is struggling with his own knee problem.

Fast bowler Wood will still be named in England’s final World Cup squad of 15 when it is confirmed in time for Saturday’s deadline.

Source: BBC
 
The Bald Eagle said:
Moeen Ali says he is ready to lead England at the Twenty20 World Cup if Jos Buttler misses part of the tournament on paternity leave

Captain Buttler’s third child is due imminently, with England playing their World Cup opener against Scotland in Barbados on 4 June.

Vice-captain Moeen has previously led England in one one-day international and 12 T20s.

“I feel I’ve captained enough for England,” Moeen told BBC Sport. “Where he leaves, I just pick it up and then when he comes back he just takes over again.”

England hope to get their series against Pakistan under way at Edgbaston on Saturday, after the first match at Headingley was washed out on Wednesday.

They are then due to play in Cardiff on Tuesday and at The Oval on Thursday, before leaving for the Caribbean on 31 May.

Wicketkeeper Buttler has said he will be at the birth, even if it means missing a portion of England’s World Cup defence.

All-rounder Moeen added: “Whatever will happen, will happen. It’s not really difficult, because we speak often, me and Jos. We’re on the same page.”

Along with Buttler, Moeen is one of only four players in this England squad that played in the 50-over World Cup success of 2019 and again when the T20 title was won in Australia in 2022. Mark Wood and Adil Rashid are the other two.

At 36, Moeen has a one-year England central contract that expires in the autumn. He has retired from Test cricket and says this World Cup could be the end of his international career.

“If I'm playing well, I want to carry on playing,” he said. “I've never put a number on it.

“It could be at the World Cup if I'm not playing so well, or whatever it is, and I decide ‘OK, this is the time’.

“There's no time on it. If I'm playing really well, and my body's good, then I want to carry on playing for as long as I can.”

Following the abandonment in Leeds, Jofra Archer will again try to make his England comeback in Birmingham. The pace bowler has not played international cricket since last March following a recurrence of an elbow injury.

Liam Livingstone has also recovered from a knee injury and is likely to be available, but Wood is struggling with his own knee problem.

Fast bowler Wood will still be named in England’s final World Cup squad of 15 when it is confirmed in time for Saturday’s deadline.

Source: BBC
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Huge blow is butler leaves but it's understandable. Dudes a loving husband, one of if not the greatest wicket keeper to ever play for England and a brilliant captain in t20 who leads his side from the front.

He's a great father and deserves to be their. I wouldn't mind if he skips the entire series.
 
While speaking on a local English sports channel, Nasser Hussain, former England captain, credited IPL 2024 with readying England's team for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024:

“They’re a very balanced side, they’ve played in a lot of big games. We don’t talk enough about the IPL and how that obviously sets you up as a cricketer but also sets you up in big games. And under pressure and big crowds and that’s what you need going into a World Cup. So they’ve done all that they could do.”

“They’ve just got to be better than they were at that 50-over World Cup. They went into that with a lot of hope and it didn’t start well and they didn’t react well. So they need to have a Plan B. If we don’t start well, if things don’t go well, how do we react? How do we react to slower pitches? How do we react when better sides come up against us? But under Buttler and what they’ve got in this side they’re in a real good place. They just got to go and do it.”
 
Five questions for England to ponder ahead of T20 World Cup defence

As Jos Buttler's team fly out to begin their efforts to retain the ICC Men's T20 World Cup title they won in 2022, they have some issues to consider.

England captain Jos Buttler had plenty of reasons to be cheerful as he led his team on to their flight to Barbados and the T20 World Cup on Friday. Despite poor weather in England washing out two of the scheduled T20I matches, his side won their series against Pakistan, and he finished as Player of the Series, thanks mostly to an impressive 84 runs off 51 balls in the second match.

But he also has some serious thinking to do as he prepares his side for the task of defending the trophy they won in Australia two years ago. Here we take a look at some of the things he might be mulling over ahead of England's opening match, against Scotland on Tuesday.

How will they cope with the conditions?

It has been cold and rainy in England so far this cricketing summer - the weather in the Caribbean and the USA will be very different.

Are they set to peak at the right time?

Leaving aside the English climate, missing out on half their scheduled warm-up matches in T20 format is less than ideal preparation for a tournament they hope to win. Before the 2022 edition Down Under, England played a mammoth 11 matches - a seven-match series in Pakistan, then four in Australia, two against the hosts and one against Pakistan again.

It is worth noting, though, that the three players who are in contention to open the batting - Buttler himself, Phil Salt, and Will Jacks - are sharp and match-fit thanks to their performances and progress in the IPL, so run-making at least should not be too much of an issue.

And Buttler has gone on record as saying that he thinks his squad are "in a good place" - although admitting it would have been nice to have two further warm-up matches.

How will the spinners fare?

Perhaps unexpectedly, the spin attack is looking the least of Buttler's concerns. Adil Rashid, Moeen Ali and Liam Livingstone have looked solid against Pakistan despite the conditions not suiting them. The only worry here may be the knee injury with which Livingstone returned from the IPL.

What should the pace attack look like?

England have some fine quick bowlers who are looking in form, but have had significant injury problems in recent years - Mark Wood played in the fourth match against Pakistan, his first T20 of any kind for over a year; while Jofra Archer has been out for 14 months as he struggled with stress fractures to the elbow plus a back issue. Then there is Reece Topley - who missed out on the 2022 triumph after hurting his ankle in a freak accident in practice. Topley and Wood played a match each in the truncated Pakistan series - perhaps rotation might be the way England opt to go.

What is their confidence like?

With limited preparation as a group, it may be more difficult to shrug off memories of England's ICC Men's Cricket World Cup under-performance last year, which Buttler admitted earlier this summer "dented" the collective English pride. On the flip side, of course, it offers him and coach Matthew Mott a chance of speedy redemption if they can retain their T20 crown.

ICC
 
England opener eyes off ‘full circle’ title run in homecoming tournament

This year's T20 World Cup has special meaning for the world's No.2 ranked T20I batter as he attempts to help England to back-to-back titles.

Phil Salt was in Barbados to watch England win the ICC Men's T20 World Cup back in 2010. He was living there.

The hard-hitting opener returns to the country that helped make him, looking to cap off a full circle title tilt with England.

Salt will spearhead the nation’s top-order, leveraging Caribbean experience that only team-mates Chris Jordan and Jofra Archer can relate to – he moved to Barbados as a 10-year-old and resided on the island for the next five years, before returning to the UK.

As an emerging talent, he was eligible to play for either England or the West Indies.

His connection to Barbados runs deep.

“Everything about the place suits me,” he told the media ahead of England’s tournament opener against Scotland on Tuesday.

“Pretty laid back, a lot of cricket, a lot of sport and I've still got a lot of friends on the island.”

Salt was a part of England’s T20 World Cup winning team two years ago in Melbourne and, late last year, became the first English player to smash back-to-back T20I centuries – both coincidentally against the West Indies.

And despite witnessing England’s success first-hand 14 years ago, going on to represent his country wasn’t in any of Salt’s wildest dreams.

“I watched England here, watched them win it,” he continued.

“I think every kid in the crowd would have gone, that's going to be me one day, or I'd like that to be me one day, but you never believe it.

“So now to be here in an England shirt, with the opportunity to do something special in the next month is incredible really.

“I got a touch of the trophy that day.

“That's the thing that always sticks with me when I think about that day.”

Idolising the likes of Craig Kieswetter and Chris Gayle has propelled the 27-year-old to match-winning heights at the top of England’s batting line-up.

“When I was a kid, anybody who hit the ball hard or kept, I'd watch them on YouTube and just try and try and emulate them,” he added.

“I want to be the person winning more games for England.”

Despite his Barbadian background, Salt is trying to take fate out of the equation, for now.

While England’s title defence is only just starting, he’s very aware the final, like in 2010, is in Bridgetown.

“There’s a bit of a way to go, but that’s absolutely the goal,” he said.

“We’re here to win.”

ICC
 

Australia 'huge' for England after washout - Wood​


England bowler Mark Wood says Saturday's meeting with Australia is "huge" after their washout against Scotland on Tuesday.

The abandonment meant England and Scotland took a point each from the game.

Defeat against Australia in Barbados would potentially make the final two games against Namibia and Oman must-win for the defending champions.

"It is obviously a huge game with what is coming up," Wood told the BBC.

"It is a game you never normally need to get up for because they are your rivals and all of that stuff but it is now a game that takes even more importance because of the points."

The top two sides from each group progress to the Super 8 phase.

Namibia are currently top of Group B after they beat Oman in a super over on Sunday while Australia play their first match of the tournament against Oman later on Wednesday (01:30 BST on Thursday).

After Australia, England play Oman on Thursday 13 June and Namibia two days later, with both matches in Antigua.

"[Against Australia] it is a big chance for us if we get points on the board," Wood said.

"If we don’t that makes everything crucial and you have to win by margins [to improve net run-rate] - again with weather around."

Just 10 overs were possible in England's meeting with Scotland, with the lower-ranked side impressing by reaching 90-0 in 10 overs.

Coach Matthew Mott admitted England were "sloppy" in the field, while Wood had opener George Munsey caught off a no-ball.

Wood said he will "address it in training" over the coming days.

"I bowled 13 balls yesterday, and one of them is a wicket and it’s the one I’ve no-balled," Wood said.

"If any of the others was the no-ball, I’m probably sitting here thinking, it’s not a problem, but because I’m getting the wicket off that ball it hurts the team.

"That’s what disappoints me.

"He [Munsey] reverse-sweeps Rash [Adil Rashid] and every time that's happening I'm thinking 'oh no, that's my fault again'.

"That's the feeling I don't like, letting down my team-mates."

www.bbc.com

T20 World Cup: Mark Wood says England v Australia 'huge' for defending champions

England bowler Mark Wood says Saturday's meeting with Australia is "huge" after their washout against Scotland on Tuesday.
www.bbc.com
 
England coach Matthew Mott said he hopes Josh Hazlewood’s comments about potentially manipulating net run-rate in their match against Scotland to help knock England out of the T20 World Cup were “tongue in cheek”

England, who play Oman in Antigua on Thursday, need to win both of their remaining games by big margins to finish level on points with Scotland and have a hope of overhauling their net run-rate.

Scotland meet Australia on Saturday, after England’s final match, and Hazlewood discussed the possibility of his side playing in a way to aid the Scots’ net run-rate as it would be in their “best interests” for England to go out.

“Having grown up in Australia and the will to win every game, I am sure they will come to the fore,” Australian Mott told BBC Sport.

“I am very much hoping it was an off-hand remark by a really good bloke who is having fun.”

Manipulating scenarios in such a manner is a breach of the International Cricket Council’s code of conduct, rather than an offence against the sport’s anti-corruption code.

Australia captain Mitchell Marsh could be banned for up to two matches and face a fine if his side were found guilty – something that would be determined by the match referee.

Australia secured their progression by chasing 73 in just 5.4 overs to beat Namibia in Antigua on Tuesday. Were they faced with a similar situation against Scotland, completing the chase slower would benefit Scotland’s net run-rate.

Asked if it was in Australia’s “interest” to make it as difficult as possible for England to progress, Hazlewood said: “Yeah, I think so.

“In this tournament you potentially come up against England at some stage again and we've had some real struggles against them in T20 cricket so if we can get them out of the tournament that's in our best interest as well as probably everyone else.

“Whether you get close and you just knock it around and drag it out, there's a few options there.”

He later went on to say taking confidence from a win would be “more important than trying to knock someone else out”.

“Knowing Josh, he has got a pretty dry sense of humour,” said Mott, who added he would not use such tactics in a reverse scenario.

“I am hoping it was very much tongue in cheek.”

Source: BBC
 
The Bald Eagle said:
England coach Matthew Mott said he hopes Josh Hazlewood’s comments about potentially manipulating net run-rate in their match against Scotland to help knock England out of the T20 World Cup were “tongue in cheek”

England, who play Oman in Antigua on Thursday, need to win both of their remaining games by big margins to finish level on points with Scotland and have a hope of overhauling their net run-rate.

Scotland meet Australia on Saturday, after England’s final match, and Hazlewood discussed the possibility of his side playing in a way to aid the Scots’ net run-rate as it would be in their “best interests” for England to go out.

“Having grown up in Australia and the will to win every game, I am sure they will come to the fore,” Australian Mott told BBC Sport.

“I am very much hoping it was an off-hand remark by a really good bloke who is having fun.”

Manipulating scenarios in such a manner is a breach of the International Cricket Council’s code of conduct, rather than an offence against the sport’s anti-corruption code.

Australia captain Mitchell Marsh could be banned for up to two matches and face a fine if his side were found guilty – something that would be determined by the match referee.

Australia secured their progression by chasing 73 in just 5.4 overs to beat Namibia in Antigua on Tuesday. Were they faced with a similar situation against Scotland, completing the chase slower would benefit Scotland’s net run-rate.

Asked if it was in Australia’s “interest” to make it as difficult as possible for England to progress, Hazlewood said: “Yeah, I think so.

“In this tournament you potentially come up against England at some stage again and we've had some real struggles against them in T20 cricket so if we can get them out of the tournament that's in our best interest as well as probably everyone else.

“Whether you get close and you just knock it around and drag it out, there's a few options there.”

He later went on to say taking confidence from a win would be “more important than trying to knock someone else out”.

“Knowing Josh, he has got a pretty dry sense of humour,” said Mott, who added he would not use such tactics in a reverse scenario.

“I am hoping it was very much tongue in cheek.”

Source: BBC
Click to expand...

Scotland's Michael Jones hopes batter David Warner opens the bowling for Australia in the game that is likely to decide their Men's T20 World Cup fate
Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has suggested Australia, who have already qualified for the Super 8s, may not play at full capacity against Scotland to ensure England are knocked out.

England can match Scotland's total of five points by beating Oman and Namibia but must do so convincingly then hope Australia win by a margin that allows the defending champions' net run-rate to surpass that of their rivals.

England coach Matthew Mott has said he hopes Hazlewood’s comments about potentially manipulating the net run-rate were "tongue in cheek".

"I was watching it live and I was laughing," Jones, who admits he wants to progress "in any way that it can come", said.

"The rivalry between Australia and England is massive and, if Australia want to play it that way then happy days. Maybe let David Warner open the bowling or something.

"I don't know any Australia players, but it would be good if we could have a little word and sort something out!" joked Jones.

Hazlewood's comments have put the spotlight on Australia's line-up and performance in the game - and could mean a stronger team and a committed attitude.

"I hope not," Ormskirk-born Jones, who described the thought of reaching the Super 8s as "the stuff of dreams", said.

"The Aussies are renowned for being extremely diligent and I’m certain they will come all guns blazing.

"We'll do our best to win the game, try and take the background noise out of the equation and not get too distracted among all the noise.

"But I watched the Hazelwood interview and [ex-captain] Tim Paine saying they should field half a side and it is at the back of your mind that - you want the result in any way that it can come. We just want to get through."

Opener Jones accepts it is an advantage for Scotland to know what they have to do given they play Australia in the early hours of Sunday morning UK time, after England have played Nambia on Saturday evening.

He also admits they may have a plan to protect their net run rate if victory against Australia looks beyond them.

Scotland's net run rate is a healthy 2.164 and, while England's is a lowly -1.8, that will improve with their expected wins against Oman on Thursday and Namibia.

www.bbc.com

T20 World Cup: Australia v Scotland - Michael Jones on key game

Scotland's Michael Jones hopes batter David Warner opens the bowling for Australia in the game that could decide their T20 World Cup fate.
www.bbc.com
 
England will be feeling relieved now as Australia defeated Scotland today in the T20 World Cup game and with this victory, England has now qualified for the SUper 8 stage of this ICC T20 World Cup 2024.

What if they beat Australia now and knock them out of this world cup, Australia would be punching themselves. LOL
 
England, whose qualification to the next round was dependent on their arch-rivals' Australia win over Scotland, Glenn Maxwell revealed while speaking to a sports media outlet:

"There was almost this interesting part where they dropped Tim David's catch when there was three runs were required off three balls. When it gets down to the last two-three balls, who knows what is going to happen? Luckily enough, we got over the line and luckily enough, they got through. But I heard it was absolutely chaos. They were in the hotel and there was a fair bit of panic. Guys were booking flights and cancelling etc. It would have been fun being a fly on the wall watching that."
 
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