Taruba (Trinidad and Tobago): Star all-rounder Ben Stokes’ match-winning prowess and Jofra Archer’s “pace at the box office” are essential for England in the 2024 T20 World Cup and injured players will still have places open in the 2024 World Cup. White-ball coach Matthew Mott said: “Team them.”
Stokes is recovering from knee surgery he underwent in November and hopes to be fit to lead England in the Test series in India in January-March next year. While fast bowler Archer has not played for England since March due to an elbow injury.
The duo are expected to feature in the T20 World Cup squad for the showpiece event starting in June, fitness permitting.
“I think that’s a given,” Mott said when asked if Stokes and Archer would be in the squad selected for the World Cup.
“Ben, apart from his amazing ability to win games in every division, gives us that ability to have a footballer in your top six which gives you so many options with the balance of your team… it makes the selection a lot easier,” he said: “So this It is a given.”
“As far as Jofra is concerned, he’s just got absolute pace at the box office, change of pace, swoop in every innings. Throwing the Super Over, bowling the last ball when they need to. He’s in the park huge, everyone will agree with that.”
Archer has suffered a series of injuries that have kept him out of Test cricket since 2021. He played just seven white-ball matches in 2023. He was not selected in the Test squad to tour India.
The T20 World Cup will be held in the West Indies and the United States.
Mott also noted that the opening duo of Jos Buttler and Phil Salt are also expected to be in the T20 World Cup squad.
“It looks pretty good, doesn’t it?” said Mott when asked about the Buttler-Salt pairing that has led to back-to-back century partnerships in the last two innings.
“We’ve got a lot of time between now and then. Salty has obviously put an undeniable case out there and Joss is one of the greatest players of all time. So how we get into the top six or seven will be interesting.”