T20 WC: Ben Stokes not part of England preliminary squad
Sep 09, 2021
London [UK], September 9 : England on Thursday named a 15-player preliminary squad for the upcoming ICC men's T20 World Cup slated to be played in UAE and Oman.
While fast bowler Tymal Mills returns to the international set-up for the first time since February 2017, star all-rounder Ben Stokes was not available for selection as he continues to take an indefinite break from all cricket to prioritise his mental wellbeing.
England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said Mills has been impressive in the T20 Blast, where he has helped Sussex reach Finals Day at Edgbaston later this month. The left-arm quick also showcased his skills will great accomplishment in The Hundred, helping Southern Brave lift the trophy in the tournament's inaugural year.
Commenting on the squad for the World Cup, England men's head coach, Chris Silverwood, said: "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.
"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."
As part of the team's build-up to the ICC men's T20 World Cup, England is scheduled to play four warm-up matches including a two-match T20I series against Pakistan with both matches due to take place at the Rawalpindi International Stadium on October 14-15.
South Africa and Australia join England and the West Indies in Group 1 of the Super 12s along with two yet-to-be-determined qualifiers from Round 1 for this year's men's T20 World Cup.
England squad: Eoin Morgan, Moeen Ali, Jonathan Bairstow, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Tymal Mills, Adil Rashid, Jason Roy, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
Reserves: Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, James Vince
