Jofra Archer has been included in England’s preliminary squad for the T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies after more than a year out injured.
The fast bowler has been carefully managed with an eye on competing this tournament and is included in the England squad along with Chris Jordan, Tom Hartley and Ben Duckett, while Chris Woakes is the biggest name to miss out.
Following their dismal defence of the 50 over World Cup in 2023, England head into this tournament as something of an unknown despite winning the last T20 World Cup in Australia in 2022, but remain one of the favourites.
Here is a look at the betting ahead of the T20 World Cup, which is due to start on June 1.
World T20 Odds
- India - 10/3
- Australia - 7/2
- England - 9/2
- South Africa - 13/2
- Pakistan - 8/1
- New Zealand - 8/1
- West Indies - 8/1
- Afghanistan - 33/1
- Sri Lanka 40/1
All odds are courtesy of bet365, and accurate at the time of writing (April 30, 3pm)
Who else is in the squad?
While Archer is the headline inclusion in the squad, managing director of the England cricket team Rob Key has for a long time indicated that the fast bowler’s return was being carefully managed with this tournament in mind.
He has not appeared for England in any format in over a year having broken down again in last year’s IPL, but will have the chance to prove his fitness in a series against Pakistan before the tournament starts before being slowly reintegrated back into the international game.
Jordan was perhaps the most surprising inclusion, despite playing for England as recently as last September. A vastly experienced T20 cricketer, Jordan’s inclusion owes much to the misfortune of Jamie Overton who had been lined up for selection only to suffer a back injury playing for Surrey.
The Surrey T20 skipper fills a valuable lower-order hitting role, while Tom Hartley will also bolster the lower order having been selected as England’s second spinner ahead of Rehan Ahmed - Hartley has never played a T20 game for England but impressed on the recent Test tour of India.
Ben Duckett is included as batting cover and has Ben Stokes’ withdrawal to thank for his inclusion but will have to wait in line behind an explosive expected top order of Jos Buttler, Phil Salt, Will Jacks, Jonny Bairstow and Harry Brook.
Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran and Moeen Ali are the other all-rounders selected in the squad while Reece Topley and Mark Wood are again in the pace attack having also played in the 50 over World Cup.
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