England open their World Cup t20 campaign in Perth, Western Australia on Saturday October 22nd against Afghanistan. Having most recently come out on top in a thrilling seven match series against Pakistan, England are heading into the tournament with some good momentum. That being said, there will now be a number of questions surrounding the makeup of the team in Australia. A number of players were missing in the Pakistan series, with most seemingly likely to have a strong chance of returning to the fold. The likes of captain Jos Buttler, Test captain Ben Stokes and the all-round t20 talents of Liam Livingstone did not play at all in Lahore and Karachi.
Buttler, as captain, will be a lock with regards to his place in the team, especially given the likelihood that he has effectively recovered from his calf problem that kept him on the sidelines in Pakistan. Ben Stokes has not played a T20I since March last year in India and, somewhat surprisingly, has not played in a T20 whatsoever since turning out for the Northern Superchargers last July in The Hundred. It is suggested that Stokes has a strong chance of returning to the XI. Livingstone, meanwhile, has had an incredible amount of success since last year's t20 World Cup. He has been injured in recent months but stands to make a return in time for the October 22nd opener.
England's opening batting conundrum
England's t20 batting options are some of the most extraordinary in all of world cricket. Stalwart Jason Roy's poor form over the summer saw him dropped from the squad, while Jonny Bairstow suffered a freak injury last month just as the World Cup squad had been announced. Those two have been perpetual figures in the top four in the last few years. In the recent Pakistan series, Ben Duckett performed admirably to finish just five runs shy of being England's top runscorer but is not even in the squad for the World Cup.
The Roy news was especially intriguing as it opened up a top order spot. That spot would likely have been filled by Bairstow, but his unfortunate incident at a golf course added an extra headache for white ball coach Matthew Mott. After over three years away from the England setup, Nottinghamshire opening batter Alex Hales was recalled and partnered Lancashire's Phil Salt in the majority of matches against Pakistan. Each batter proved their worth multiple times, with Salt's unbeaten 88 in the penultimate match being the highlight.Embed from Getty Images
However, given Buttler's preference to open the innings, something has to give. Hales boasts an incredible recent record in Australia's Big Bash League (BBL), scoring the most runs in the tournament in the last three seasons. That should give the selectors plenty to think about when weighing up their considerable options. Salt had been originally used as a finisher in his early T20I career, making an impressive maiden half century at number six against the West Indies in January. There had been talk of squeezing in Salt alongside Buttler and Hales as a wicketkeeper, with Buttler fielding in the ring as captain; that now looks unlikely.
The return of Ben Stokes
Stokes has been vocal in the last year or so when it has come to managing his workload. As mentioned earlier, he has not played a T20 in over a year, let alone a T20I. He has chosen to miss out on the IPL and The Hundred this year, instead choosing to rest and to focus on his new role as England Test captain. While he has been one of England's best players of the past decade, his lack of recent T20 experience is an interesting talking point heading into a World Cup, especially given the wealth of in-form batting options at England's disposal.
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| Ben Stokes is in line to play a part in the t20 World Cup for England, having not played a t20 game in more than a year [CREDIT - Surjeet Yadav/Getty Images] |
That being said, the signs are pointing towards Stokes being a part of the starting lineup. Of course, he offers a seam bowling option in addition to his batting power, experience and general mentality. The likelihood seems that the 31-year-old will be carded at number four, with Dawid Malan likely to retain his spot at number three. Harry Brook, who enjoyed a sensational series against Pakistan at number five, looks to be close to undroppable as a result.
If that is indeed the case, it would presumably mean Livingstone and vice captain Moeen Ali batting as low as six and seven. While that provides incredible batting depth, there could be temptation to field an extra bowling all-rounder, with Sam Curran at seven. That, in turn, could mean the in-form Brook misses out, or the incredible Livingstone. This is, of course, all hinged on whether Stokes will force his way in or not.
The bowling options for England
The lack of Jofra Archer in the last World Cup t20 was an evident issue, especially when it came to the death bowling. Archer will again miss out through injury. Adil Rashid, who alongside Archer has been England's standout bowler of the last few years, will be the first bowler on the teamsheet. Providing all is well on the fitness front, Mark Wood will not be far behind him. He only played a couple of games in Pakistan, primariry as a precaution, but proved his considerable worth with some incredible high-octane pace bowling. He has a crucial role to play in Australia.
Reece Topley has emerged as a dependable new ball option, with his towering frame coupled with a left-arm action creating an effective recipe up top. After those three, the options become a little more tricky to nail down. Chris Woakes made a successful return in Pakistan and is another fantastic bowling option for the powerplay and is a more than useful factor in the batting department.
Chris Jordan was another to miss out in Pakistan but will again be on hand to offer his services down under. One of the world's best fielders, Jordan will likely be tasked with bowling at the death. Typically reliable towards the end of an innings, the Barbados-born quick was unable to come to the party in that respect against New Zealand in last year's semi final, contributing to England's exit.Embed from Getty Images
Curran missed out in the UAE through injury in 2021 and is one of the better up and coming all-rounders in the world. Able to bowl through different phases of an innings, he can provide a skiddy left-arm option with an effective short ball, something that could have an impact in Australia. His batting is also a huge bargaining chip when it comes to his potential inclusion, though he could be more likely to get in as a number seven, rather than as one of the premier bowling options.
He has also shown an appetite to taking on spin, which could play into his favour against the spin-heavy attack that Afghanistan carry. David Willey is the final option, with similarities with Curran with the left-arm angle. He brings quality with the new ball and a more than handy option down the order.
The England XI vs Afghanistan and for the World Cup t20 in Australia
1) Jos Buttler (C) - the captain will slot straight back into the top of the order
2) Alex Hales - Hales' recent BBL experience and success could just tip the scales in his favour, especially if Buttler will indeed take the gloves ahead of Salt
3) Dawid Malan - while his numbers have dropped off in the past year, Malan remains a consistent option at number three and has had success down under previously
4) Ben Stokes - if Stokes is in the squad then it does stand to reason that he will be included in the XI and that will likely see him at number four. If his bowling is seen as a genuine option then that could open a spot for Brook, but otherwise an extra bowling all rounder could be the play
5) Liam Livingstone [Harry Brook]- Livingstone's six-hitting ability is one that is hard to come by, while his electric fielding and ever-improving bowling make him a sure-fire fit. However, he remains a doubt for the tournament. Brook will surely slot straight in should Livingstone be unavailable.
6) Moeen Ali - the vice captain played exquisitely in Pakistan and will always be an excellent bowling option, especially to left-handers
7) Sam Curran - Curran's ability with the bat makes his case a strong one, in terms of his inclusion as a bowling all-rounder; he will strengthen the bowling department while offering finishing ability at the end of an innings with the bat
8) Chris Woakes - the Warwickshire man is excellent up top with the new ball, a factor that could be useful in terms of making inroads into some dangerous batting lineups; Zazai and Gurbaz are dangerous in the powerplay for Afghanistan
9) Mark Wood - somewhat of a trump card, if fit Wood will be a lock to play. His express pace through the middle of the innings can help to stem the flow and pick up vital wickets
10) Adil Rashid - England's premier spinner for the past few years, Rashid will be crucial in setting up the back end of the innings for England with his control and typically frugal economy rate
11) Reece Topley - Topley has been fantastic for England in the last year or so and will present a top option with the new ball
Salt and Brook are two that would be very unfortunate to miss out, with the former arguably being somewhat of a coin toss with Hales. As mentioned when it comes to Stokes' potential inclusion, Brook could well miss out depending on what the England hierarchy decide on in terms of bowling depth, but with four frontline bowlers and the potential all-round offerings from Ali, Livingstone and Stokes, Brook could easily retain his place at number five.
Of course, England have a couple of T20Is against Australia coming up and another warm-up vs Pakistan just before the start of the tournament. As a result, things are likely to become a lot clearer with regards to selection.
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