Joffra Archer named in England T20 World Cup squad

Jamie Smith, Jordan Cox and Saqib Mahmud have been axed from the provisional squad and the white-ball squads touring Sri Lanka

Jofra Archer has been named in England’s provisional squad for the 2026 T20I World Cup despite still nurturing a left side strain that ruled him out of the Ashes after the third Test.

The 15-man squad also includes Josh Tongue,

The 15-man squad also includes Josh Tongue, uncapped in international limited-overs cricket. Tongue has been drafted in by head coach Brendon McCullum and white-ball captain captain Harry Brook as a strike bowler they believe will thrive on the flatter pitches expected for the tournament in India and Sri Lanka.

Jamie Smith has been axed completely from the limited-overs set-up, which starts the new year with a pre-tournament tour of Sri Lanka, after a failed experiment at the top of the order. Ben Duckett returns after missing the threeT20I s in New Zealand ahead of the ongoing tour of Australia.

Archer was England’s stand out player of the Ashes before he picked up his injury during the third Test in Adelaide, which Australia won to secure the urn in just 11 days. The fast bowler registered nine wickets at 27.11, including 5 for 53 – his fourth five-wicket haul – in the first innings at Adelaide Oval. He also contributed with the bat, striking a maiden half-century in the same game as part of 102 runs at 25.50.

Archer left Australia on Boxing Day evening, after day one of the fourth Test in Melbourne, and is presently recovering in Barbados under the supervision of the ECB’s medial team. He will miss the three ODIs and three T20Is in Sri Lanka, which begins from January 22, with Brydon Carse staying on after the 50-over matches to fill in. Archer is likely to join the squad in India ahead of their opening Group C match against Nepal in Mumbai on February 8.

Tongu, although relatively inexperienced inT20 cricket with just 21 matches under his belt, has come to the fore with a string of impressive performances this year. He was the leading wicket-taker in this year’s men’s Hundred with 14 wickets and has impressed in the two Ashes Tests, with 12 at 18.58. That includes 5 for 45 at the MCG, as part of match statistics of 7 for 89 which earned him the Mullagh Medal as Player of the Match in England’s first Test win in Australia since January 2011.

Meanwhile,

allrounder Will Jacks is back in both squads after missing the New Zealand tour, and Zak Crawley returns to the ODI set-up for the first time since 2023, looking to add to his eight hats. There is no room for Jordan Cox, or seamer Saqib Mahmood, who is still recovering from a knee injury that required minor surgery at the end of the 2025 home season.

Despite the tight turnover after the Ashes – the group will leave the UK for Sri Lanka on January 18, ten days after the scheduled finish of the fifth Test in Sydney – England have decided not to rest their Test stars. Seven of the ODI squad have been out in Australia for the duration, including Joe Root, who turned 35 on Tuesday.

Leaning on experience speaks to the importance of correcting England’s ailing white-ball fortunes, and the need for McCullum to restore his worth after a demoralising Ashes tour.

Since assuming control of the limited-overs team at the start of 2025 alongside his Test head coach role, McCullum has overseen six wins and five defeats in 13 T20Is – he skipped the Ireland tour which England won 2-0 – and lost 11 of 15 ODI matches in charge. The latter means automatic qualification for 2027’s 50-over World Cup is not a foregone conclusion, with the top-eight-ranked sides progressing to the main tournament. England are eighth as it stands, ahead of West Indies and Bangladesh.

Success in the T20 World Cup would no doubt ease the pressure on McCullum. England finished as semi-finals in 2024’s edition, losing to eventual winners India, which ultimately cost former white-ball coach Matthew Mott his job as head coach. England previously won the tournament in 2010 and 2022.

England team for Sri Lanka T20Is and provisional squad for T20 World Cup

Harry Brook (capt), Rehan Ahmed, Joffra 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

England ODI squad for Sri Lanka tour

Harry Brook (capt), Rehan Ahmed, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse, Zak Crowley, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Luke Wood.

Jofra Archer has been named in England’s squad for the T20 World Cup despite lacking the last two Ashes Tests.

The speed bowler is continuing to recover from a side strain and has been included in a provisional 15-man party for the tournament in India and Sri Lanka in February and March.

Jamie Smith misses out on the World Cup and the foregoing tour of Sri Lanka after a difficult Ashes series, and there is no place for Jordan Cox.

Pace bowler Josh Language, who has never played a white-ball international for England, is rewarded for his Ashes performances with inclusion in the World Cup squad.

After England were defeated in the first three Tests against Australia to lose the Ashes series at the earliest opportunity, the World Cup would potentially give another indication to the futures of head coach Brendon McCullum and director of cricket Rob Key.

England play three one-day internationals and three T20s in Sri Lanka in the build-up to the World Cup, which they begin against Nepal in Mumbai on 8 February.

The ODIs are important in England’s bid to qualify automatically for the 50-over World Cup in 2027. The top nine in the rankings will secure a place in the tournament in southern Africa and England presently lie eighth.

Despite the tight turnaround from the Ashes, captain Harry Brook leads a full-strong squad. England leave Australia after the fifth Test on 9 January and fly to Sri Lanka on 18 January. The first ODI is on 22 January.

Brook, Archer, Tongue, Joe Root, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley and Will Jacks have all been involved in the Ashes and are in line to play some part in England’s white-ball matches in the New Year.

Jofra Archer 30, is England’s premier white-ball pace bowler. After impressing in the Ashes, he was ruled out of the series because of the side injury he endured in the third Test in Adelaide.

England believe he is on track to recovered in time for the World Cup, but he is not in the squad for the ODIs and T20s in Sri Lanka. Carse provides cover for that tour.

England

England squad for ODIs in Sri Lanka: Harry Brook, Rehan Ahmed, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse, Zak Crowley, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Luke Wood.

England squad for T20s in Sri Lanka and World Cup: Harry Brook, 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 Language, Luke Wood.

Smith has been England’s one-day opener in their past nine matches, though has not played a T20 since June. The 25-year-old struggled in the one-dayers in New Zealand that preceding the Ashes, then has managed only one half-century in eight innings in Australia.

In contrast, 28-year-old Tongu has been England’s breakout star of the Ashes, claiming 12 wickets in his two Tests. He is in the squad for the T20s and not the ODIs.

Cox, the leading run-scorer in last year’s Hundred, may feel unfortunate to miss out. Tom Banton gets the nod as middle-order batting cover.

Duckett is in both squads despite a difficult Ashes and looks set to bring his Test opening partnership with Crowley to one-day internationals as England look for a combination that can build towards the 50-over World Cup.

Crawley has played eight one-day internationals, the last of which in West Indies in December 2023 was also his final List A game.

Jofra Archer Root, who turns 35 on Tuesday, would have been a potential candidate to rest after the Ashes, yet travels to Sri Lanka for the ODIs alone. His next cricket would then likely come in the home summer.

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