Injured Archer retained as England announce provisional T20 World Cup squad

England have included Jofra Archer in their provisional squad for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, despite the fast bowler continuing his recovery from a left side strain that ruled him out of the latter stages of the Ashes.

Archer, who was England’s standout performer during the Ashes, sustained the injury in the third Test in Adelaide, which Australia won to retain the urn inside 11 days. 

He finished the series with nine wickets at 27.11, including figures of 5 for 53 in the first innings at Adelaide Oval — his fourth Test five-wicket haul. 

Archer also made valuable contributions with the bat, scoring his maiden Test half-century and tallying 102 runs at 25.50.

The 30-year-old left Australia on Boxing Day, after day one of the fourth Test in Melbourne, and is currently recovering in Barbados under the supervision of the ECB’s medical team. 

He will miss England’s three ODIs and three T20Is in Sri Lanka starting January 22, with Brydon Carse set to stay on after the ODI leg to cover in the shorter format. 

Archer is expected to link up with the squad in India ahead of England’s opening Group C match against Nepal in Mumbai on February 8.

The 15-man provisional World Cup squad also features Josh Tongue, who is uncapped in international white-ball cricket. 

Tongue has been backed by head coach Brendon McCullum and white-ball captain Harry Brook as a strike bowler suited to the flatter pitches anticipated in India and Sri Lanka.

Despite limited T20 experience — just 21 matches — Tongue has impressed across formats this year. 

He finished as the leading wicket-taker in the men’s Hundred with 14 wickets and enjoyed a productive Ashes campaign, claiming 12 wickets at 18.58. 

His standout performance came at the MCG, where he took 5 for 45 and match figures of 7 for 89, earning the Mullagh Medal as Player of the Match in England’s first Test win in Australia since January 2011.

Jamie Smith has been dropped entirely from the limited-overs setup following an unsuccessful stint at the top of the order. 

Ben Duckett returns after missing the three T20Is in New Zealand, while allrounder Will Jacks is back in both squads after sitting out the same tour. Zak Crawley also returns to the ODI side for the first time since 2023.

Jordan Cox has been left out, while seamer Saqib Mahmood remains unavailable as he continues his recovery from a knee injury that required minor surgery at the end of the 2025 home season.

Despite the tight turnaround following the Ashes — with the squad departing for Sri Lanka on January 18, just 10 days after the scheduled end of the fifth Test in Sydney — England have opted not to rest their Test regulars. 

Seven members of the ODI squad were involved throughout the Ashes, including Joe Root, who turned 35 this week.

The decision underlines the urgency of reviving England’s struggling white-ball form and the pressure on McCullum to deliver results. 

Since taking charge of the limited-overs sides at the start of 2025, alongside his Test role, McCullum has overseen six wins and five defeats in 13 T20Is, and 11 losses in 15 ODIs.

Those results have left England eighth in the ODI rankings, meaning automatic qualification for the 2027 50-over World Cup is not guaranteed. 

A strong showing at the T20 World Cup would ease the scrutiny, particularly after England’s semi-final exit in 2024, which led to Matthew Mott’s departure. England previously won the tournament in 2010 and 2022.

England squad for Sri Lanka T20Is and provisional T20 World Cup squad:

Harry Brook (capt), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer (World Cup only), Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse (Sri Lanka tour only), Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Josh Tongue and Luke Wood.

England ODI squad for Sri Lanka tour:

Harry Brook (capt), Rehan Ahmed, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Joe Root and Luke Wood.