After Australia, England were the second side to reveal their 16-member squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia. The Three Lions will enter the World Cup with a new captain Jos Buttler since Eoin Morgan announced his retirement in June 2022. England won the 2010 T20 World Cup. The Three Lions have played 38 matches in the T20 World Cups history and won just 19, which is concerning. The squad for the upcoming World Cup is without Jonny Bairstow and Jofra Archer. Besides the injuries, the team includes several match-winners. Here are the strengths, weaknesses, schedule, squad, and players to look out for in the England squad.
Strengths
Return of Chris Woakes and Mark Wood
In the last year, England had to deal with injury issues. Senior bowlers Jofra Archer, Chris Woakes and Mark Wood were out of the T20 team for over a year due to injuries. With Archer still injured, the good news is that Woakes and Wood have returned to the side after almost a year. The duo last played for England against New Zealand in the previous year’s World Cup semi-final.
Strong Middle order
Like their arch-rivals Australia, England can boast about its middle-order line-up. The Three Lions have some power hitters and top talents in the middle-overs. They have Dawid Malan, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, and Ben Stokes.
Deep batting line-up
Besides having a good middle-order line-up, England have got a deep batting line-up. Moeen Ali comes at number 7, and his ability to hit the ball goes undoubted. Chris Woakes, who bats at number 8, can also add valuable runs to his side. He boasts the highest score of 37 in T20Is.
Too many good all-round options
Every team participating in the World Cup has got good all-round options but is limited to just one or two. One of England’s biggest strengths is that the team is filled with all-rounders. Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone, and Sam Curran are four options that the Three Lions possess.
Weaknesses
Jonny Bairstow’s injury
Jonny Bairstow got injured while playing golf, which ruled him out of the T20 World Cup. The 32-year-old was in sublime form across all formats, and his absence is a big void to fill for the England management.
No death over specialist
Compared to other teams, England have a weak bowling unit. Their experienced seamers Woakes and Wood lack match time, while Archer continues to sit out. Additionally, they have just one death-over specialist in the form of Chris Jordan. But looking at his records, his inclusion in the playing XI is debatable. The management needs to deal with this key issue. They would not want a similar situation as India in the 2022 Asia Cup.
Lost the last two home series
England’s last two T20I series were at home against India and South Africa. The Buttler-led side lost both the series. The defeats at home would be in the back of the mind of the players going to Australia. England are currently touring Pakistan for seven-match T20I series.
Players to watch out for
Liam Livingstone
The 29-year-old showed his all-round abilities in the IPL with Punjab Kings. He only knows how to deal in sixes, and his leg-spin prowess is a plus for England.
Alex Hales
The 33-year-old replaced Jonny Bairstow and returned to the side after three years. Hales, who thought his career was over, would be looking to repay the faith shown in him.
Schedule
October 22 – England vs Afghanistan, 4:30 pm, Perth Stadium,
October 26 – England vs TBA, 9:30 pm, Melbourne Cricket Ground
October 28 – England vs Australia, 1:30 pm, Melbourne Cricket Ground
November 1 – England vs New Zealand, 1;30 pm, The Gabba
November 5 – England vs TBA, 1:30 pm, Sydney Cricket Ground
Squad
Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Alex Hales, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, David Willey, Chris Woakes, and Mark Wood.