T20 World Cup 2024: Jofra Archer Returns as Defending Champions England Announce Preliminary Squad

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Jofra Archer returns to international cricket as defending champions England on Tuesday (April 30) announced their preliminary squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024 and the preceding home series against Pakistan.

Archer has been named in the squad, having recovered from his right elbow injury. The Sussex pacer last played on the international stage over a year ago in England's tour of Bangladesh in March 2023.

Apart from Archer, wicketkeeper-batter Jonny Bairstow and left-arm pacer Reece Topley, who aslo missed the last edition through injury have also returned to the squad.

Left-arm spinning all-rounder Tom Hartley, who was part of the Test squad that toured India earlier this year, is the sole uncapped player in the 15-member group that will play in the USA and Caribbean in June.

Ten players from the title-winning group, including skipper Jos Buttler have retained their spots, while Will Jacks is the only other player among the preliminary squad not to feature at an ICC World tournament previously. Ben Duckett also is set for his first T20 World Cup appearance.

Ben Stokes had made himself unavailable for selection, while Chris Woakes missed out on a spot as Chris Jordan retained his spot alongside the likes of Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Moeen Ali, Mark Wood and Phil Salt.

In-form Salt and Buttler are likely to open the batting with Jacks and Bairstow likely to challenge for the number three spots. Brook will retain his number four spot, while Livingstone and Ali are set to play as spin bowling all-rounders.

Curran, last edition's player of the tournament, is set to be the pace-bowling all-rounder with Archer, Wood, Jordan and Topley possibly fighting for two other slots in the playing 11. The same squad will face Pakistan at home before the T20 World Cup in a four-match series, starting from May 22.

The T20 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 4 June. Here is a look at England's squad for the Pakistan series and the T20 World Cup:

England T20 World Cup 2024 Squad

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