Jofra Archer (Getty Images) England have given fast bowler Jofro Archer significant confidence by including him in their provisional squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, despite a left-arm onslaught that ruled him out of the last two Ashes Tests. The announcement was made on Tuesday as England named the squads for their white-ball tour of Sri Lanka and the global tournament to be held in India and Sri Lanka from February 7.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!Archer suffered the injury during the third Ashes Test in Adelaide earlier this month and will miss England’s warm-up tour of Sri Lanka as part of his recovery plan. The tour includes three one-day internationals and three T20 internationals starting on January 22. Durham seamer Brydon Carse has been named as Archer’s replacement for the Sri Lanka leg of the tour.
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Despite the setback, the selectors retained Archer in their 15-man provisional World Cup squad, underscoring his importance to England’s T20 plans once he is fully fit. Harry Brook will lead England at the tournament, marking a new chapter for the former champions.Fast bowler Josh Tongue has earned his first T20 call-up after being named in the Sri Lanka T20 and World Cup squad. All-rounder Will Jacks also returns to both white-ball squads after missing the New Zealand tour in October.In the ODI setup, Zak Crawley was recalled for the first time since December 2023 and will be looking to build on his limited experience in the 50-over format. The ODI squad will also feature senior players like Jos Buttler and Joe Root.England’s selection committee described the tour of Sri Lanka as a key preparatory phase ahead of the FIFA World Cup, with the tour party scheduled to depart on January 18, 2026. While Archer’s availability remains subject to a fitness test, his inclusion ensures England retain one of their most effective weapons as they mount another challenge for the T20 title.England T20I squad for World Cup and tour of Sri Lanka
- Harry Brook (captain), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, 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 team on a tour of Sri Lanka
- Harry Brook (capt), Rehan Ahmed, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Luke Wood
