England’s Jofra Archer will return to international cricket after a hiatus of 14 months as he was named the England’s preliminary squad for upcoming Twenty20 World Cup.
| Photo Credit: ANDREW COULDRIDGE

Pacer Jofra Archer will return to international cricket after a hiatus of 14 months after he was named in England’s preliminary squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup in London on April 30.

Archer last played for England was in a T20I series against Bangladesh in March 2023. The 29-year-old was England’s leading wicket-taker in that series with four scalps from three matches at an economy of 6.63.

But since then Archer was forced to sit on the sidelines because of the recurrence of a stress fracture in his right elbow.

“Jofra Archer has recovered from his right elbow injury and is named in the squad,” said the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in its media release.

From January this year, Archer has been working intensely on his return including Sussex’s pre-season camps in Abu Dhabi and Bengaluru, besides appearing in a handful of club matches at Barbados.

England, who are the defending champions, will be led by Jos Buttler, who had led them to the title in Australia in 2022.

Lancashire all-rounder Tom Hartley is the sole uncapped player (in T20Is) in the squad.

Meanwhile, Buttler (Rajasthan Royals), Moeen Ali (CSK), Jonny Bairstow (PBKS), Sam Curran (PBKS), Liam Livingstone (RR), Phil Salt (KKR), Will Jacks, Reece Topley (both RCB), will return home from the Indian Premier League (IPL) ahead of the T20I series against Pakistan from May 22.

It means that these players will miss the final stages of the IPL 2024.

“The World Cup squad will fly to the Caribbean on May 31 ahead of England’s opening group match against Scotland at the Kensington Oval, Barbados, on Wednesday, June 4,” added the ECB.

England squad

Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, Mark Wood.

Rajasthan Royals batters Jos Buttler and Avesh Khan celebrate with teammates after Rajasthan won the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 cricket match against Kolkata Knight Riders, at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, on April 16, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Jos Buttler played one of the greatest IPL knocks on Tuesday night.

His sensational 107 not out (60b, 9×4, 6×6) gave Rajasthan Royals an unforgettable — and for much of the match — an unlikely last-ball win against Kolkata Knight Riders. The two-wicket victory has consolidated Royals’ position at the top of the table.

RR was set a daunting target of 224 by the host, thanks largely to Sunil Narine’s maiden career century (109, 56b, 13×4, 6×6). If RR was to win, it had to equal its own record of the biggest successful chase in IPL history.

That didn’t look likely when the Royals lost wickets regularly. When Shimron Hetmyer, who had taken them home in the last match, fell for a duck, the score read 121 for six in 12.2 overs.

A tall order it certainly was, with not much batting left. But Buttler’s 57-run partnership for the seventh wicket with Rovman Powell (26, 13b, 1×4, 3×6) allowed Royals to dream.

The dream was realised by Buttler, the Impact Player who had just the tail to support him. Forty-six were needed from the last three, then it came down to 28 off two.

Buttler took off 19 off the penultimate over, bowled by Harshit Rana, and then hit Varun Chakravarthy’s first ball in the last over over long-on for a six to ease the nerves of his teammates in the dugout. A single off the last ball dashed KKR’s hopes of a Super Over.

Like Buttler, Narine carried his team’s innings on his shoulders. He played strokes around this hallowed ground, but he seemed particularly keen to hit the bowlers over their heads.

Only one other batter reached 30, as the promising teenager Angkrish Raghuvanshi (30, 18b, 5×4) helped him add 85 for the second wicket. KKR had lost Phil Salt in the fourth over as Avesh Khan took a stunning one-handed return catch off his own bowling.

Narine and Raghuvanshi, however, went on to frustrate the Royals bowler. It took a fine yorker from Trent Boult to end Narine’s remarkable innings. But, this was going to be Buttler’s night.

England’s Joe Root (left) and teammate Harry Brook. File
| Photo Credit: Ap

Seven players, including Harry Brook, were among 29 England cricketers who were awarded central contracts by the ECB for the first time, while premier all-rounder and Test captain Ben Stokes was given a one-year contract on Tuesday.

The deal pre-dated from October 1 this year also includes a first-of-its-kind multi-year contracts, which were offered to 18 players including Brook, Joe Root and recuperating pacer Jofra Archer.

Apart from Brook, Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Matthew Potts and Josh Tongue received the contract for the first time.

Pacer Carse on Monday was named as a replacement for injured Reece Topley in England’s squad for the on-going World Cup.

Managing Director of England Men’s Cricket, Rob Key, said: “We are rewarding those players who we expect to make a significant impact over the coming years playing for England.

They will play a pivotal role in England’s efforts over the next few years.”

England’s new multi-year central contracts:

Three-year contract: Joe Root, Mark Wood, Harry Brook.

Two-year contract: Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Jonathan Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Liam Livingstone, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes.

One-year contract: Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Ben Foakes, Jack Leach, Dawid Malan, Ollie Robinson, Reece Topley.

Developmental contract: Matthew Fisher, Saqib Mahmood, John Turner.

England’s Ben Stokes announced his intention to play ODI cricket again earlier this month. File
| Photo Credit: Reuters

England limited-overs captain Jos Buttler hailed “superstar” Ben Stokes following his decision to come out of one-day international retirement.

Stokes called time on his 50-over career last year due to concerns over his punishing workload and a knee problem.

However, the England Test skipper announced his intention to play ODI cricket again earlier this month and has been named in the squad for the upcoming series against New Zealand, with the World Cup in India looming in October.

Also Read | Paine hits out at Stokes for coming out of ODI retirement to play in World Cup

England, world champions in both white-ball formats, play the Black Caps in four T20s and four ODIs and Buttler admitted he was “delighted” to have Stokes back in the fold.

“It’s excellent news on all fronts, said Buttler. “It’s great for cricket to have a superstar like Ben Stokes in a World Cup.

“You want to see those players in those major showpiece events so it’s fantastic that he’s made himself available.

“When a player of that calibre is available again it’s a no-brainer really that you want them back in your team.”

Stokes played a pivotal role in England’s 2019 World Cup triumph, scoring an unbeaten 84 in the final against New Zealand before starring in the Super Over alongside Buttler.

“You look at the impact he has in every game he plays really, but especially in the last couple of World Cups (including the 2022 T20 World Cup), he’s the man in the middle with the crucial moment,” said Buttler.

“We’re delighted to have him back. It’s not just the cricket but everything else he brings to the group.”

All-rounder Stokes, 32, will be returning to the ODI squad as a specialist batter and Buttler said he made his decision following the conclusion of the recent Ashes series, which ended 2-2.

“He said he’d be available as a batter and that was enough for me to just say ‘brilliant, can’t wait to have you back’,” said Buttler.

England open the 20-over section of the New Zealand series at Chester-le-Street on Wednesday.

The first ODI takes place in Cardiff on September 8.

Although England have one eye on the World Cup later this year, Buttler is looking forward to a “great test” against the Black Caps.

“It’s great to be back together as a squad having not played together since Bangladesh in March,” he said.

“It’s very exciting stuff on the horizon obviously with the World Cup in India, but we start with the T20 series here against New Zealand which we’re determined to do well in.

“Of course I suppose the main priority is the ODIs against New Zealand — I think they’ll be a great test for us ahead of the World Cup.”