Injured Archer included in England T20 World Cup squad but no place for Smith

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Injured Archer included in England T20 World Cup squad but no place for Smith / Photo: © AFP

Injured Archer included in England T20 World Cup squad but no place for Smith

SPORTS 30.12.2025

Fast bowler Jofra Archer was included in England's provisional T20 World Cup squad announced Tuesday, despite suffering a left side strain that ruled him out of the final two Ashes Tests, but there was no place for wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.

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Archer's fellow quick Josh Tongue has been called up to the T20 squad for the first time in a 15-man party to be captained by Harry Brook for the tournament in India and Sri Lanka beginning on February 7.

Archer will sit out the warm-up tour to Sri Lanka next month to continue his rehabilitation following the injury he sustained during the third Ashes Test in Adelaide earlier this month.

Brydon Carse will replace Archer in Sri Lanka for three one-day internationals and three Twenty20 internationals beginning on January 22.

There was no place, however, in the T20 World Cup squad for Smith who has endured a torrid Ashes tour of Australia, for all that is an unusual starting point in deciding selection for a white-ball tournament in the sub-continent.

The Surrey wicketkeeper-batsman smashed 60 from 26 balls in his last T20 appearance against the West Indies in June, but was rested due to his heavy all-format workload from the subsequent series against South Africa and Ireland.

But following four Tests in Australia where he has averaged a lowly 19.85 with the bat and endured several struggles behind the stumps, he has been left out entirely, with the experienced Jos Buttler and Phil Salt providing England with keeping options for 2024 T20 World Cup semi-finalists England.

Tongue, by contrast, has never played white-ball cricket but has enhanced his reputation with impressive Ashes displays in Adelaide and Melbourne, where a England's four-wicket win still left them 3-1 down heading into a series finale at Sydney starting Saturday.

And the 28-year-old was the top wicket-taker in last season’s Hundred competition, taking 14 wickets in just six games.

Test-match opening batsman Zak Crawley returns to the ODI squad for the first time since December 2023.

Brook will lead his first World Cup campaign as white-ball captain, with England facing Bangladesh, West Indies, Italy and Nepal in Group C, with both managing director Rob Key and coach Brendon McCullum looking for an impressive showing after they came in for criticism following the Test team's tame Ashes series loss.

England T20 squad for World Cup squad and Sri Lanka tour: Harry Brook (capt), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler (wkt), Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Josh Tongue, Luke Wood, Brydon Carse (Sri Lanka tour only)

England ODI squad for Sri Lanka tour: Harry Brook (capt), Rehan Ahmed, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler (wkt), Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Luke Wood

R.Flueckiger--VB

Volkswacht Bodensee - Injured Archer included in England T20 World Cup squad but no place for Smith

Injured Archer included in England T20 World Cup squad but no place for Smith

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