The ECB has named paceman Tymal Mills in England’s preliminary team for the upcoming T20 world cup scheduled to be held in the UAE. Mills has featured in four T20Is in the past, with his last appearance in February 2017 versus India in Bengaluru. Allrounder Ben Stokes who announced an indefinite sabbatical from cricket citing mental wellbeing as his priority has been omitted.
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Mills Rewarded for Performances T20 Blast, Hundred
Mills, a death-over specialist, bowled brilliantly while representing Sussex in the T20 Blast this season. The left-arm paceman helped take his side to the finals day of the competition in Edgbaston. Mills also played a key role in the title-winning exploits of Southern Brave in The Hundred. The ECB has rewarded Mills for his great performance in both tournaments.
Chris Silverwood Weighs In
The ECB issued a release to media in which chief coach Chris Silverwood stated,
“Tymal Mills deserves his inclusion and has demonstrated over the past couple of years, but particularly this summer that he has all skills to succeed at this level. His exceptional pace is a standout, and the way he has spearheaded Sussex and Southern Brave’s respective attacks in the short-form game has shown that he relishes the pressures of the big stage. He will add variety to our bowling unit, and we can’t wait to see him play in a major international tournament.”
Willey returns to T20I Squad
David Willey, who was excluded from England’s ODI world cup winning squad in 2019 after the ECB preferred Jofra Archer, has also found a place in the squad for the T20 world cup. Willey will be part of the national side’s pace attack alongside Sam Curran and Mills. The fast-bowling options include Mark Wood and Chris Jordan. The ECB has named left-arm spinner allrounder Liam Dawson, top-order batsman James Vince and paceman Tom Curran as travelling reserves.
Woakes Replaces Stokes
In the absence of Stokes, Chris Woakes has found a place in the squad for the world cup. Woakes played against Sri Lanka in the recent T20I series, marking his return to T20Is since his last appearance in the white-ball format since 2015. Sam Billings finds a place as a backup keeper-batsman. Liam Livingstone, the top scorer in The Hundred, also finds a slot. While Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali are the main spin options, Livingstone is likely to be used as a part-time spin option.
Squad Has Depth, Says Silverwood
In his media statement, Silverwood added,
“We are excited about the prospect of challenging to win the ICC T20 World Cup. I believe we have selected a squad that covers all bases and has the depth to be successful in what is expected to be a very competitive tournament featuring the best players in the world.”
England Can Become First Team to Hold Both White Ball Titles Simultaneously
Teams can finalise their squad by October 10. England who lost in the 2016 finals to West Indies are currently the number one ranked T20I side. They are due to play two T20I games in Pakistan on 14 and 15 October. England who will aim to become the first team to be ODI and T20I champions simultaneously are due to play West Indies in Dubai on 23 October, providing them with an opportunity to avenge their loss in 2016 final.
The Squadp>Eoin Morgan (captain), Adil Rashid, Chris Jordan, Chris Woakes, Dawid Malan, David Willey, Jason Roy, Jonathan Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Liam Livingstone, Mark Wood, Moeen Ali, Sam Billings, Sam Curran, and Tymal Mills. Travelling reserves: James Vince, Liam Dawson, and Tom Curran.