LONDON (AP) — Batter Jamie Smith was left out of England’s provisional squad for the Twenty20 World Cup on Tuesday, but pacer Jofra Archer was included despite nursing a side strain.
Smith has been short of his form in test cricket for England in the Ashes Series, which Australia leads 3-1. The big-hitting wicketkeeper-batter entered the series with a strong reputation, but so far has a best of 60 from the bat with only one other score over 30 in eight innings.
Archer misses England’s fifth and final test in Sydney later this week after sitting out England’s recent win in Melbourne.
He sustained the injury after taking six wickets during the third test in Adelaide, a loss which condemned England to a 3-0 deficit and saw Australia retain the Ashes.
Archer had nine wickets overall in the Ashes and scored 51 in Adelaide for his first test 50, suggesting he could be a valuable pinch-hitter lower down the order at the T20 World Cup, which begins in February.
The England and Wales Cricket Board said Archer was named only in the squad for the T20 World Cup — which is co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
England begins its campaign in Group C against Nepal on Feb. 8 in Mumbai, India.
Archer was not included in the T20 or One Day International squads for matches against Sri Lanka leading up to the T20 World Cup. Smith was also left out of those, despite having opened the batting for England in recent ODIs.
England batting great Joe Root was included in the ODI squad for the three games against Sri Lanka, but as expected, not for the T20 internationals or the World Cup.
England opens against Sri Lanka on Jan. 22, with all three games in Colombo and then plays the first of three T20s against Sri Lanka in Kandy on Jan. 30. ___
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket