Alex Hales in line for shock England recall for T20 World Cup

07.09.2022 - 00:41 theguardian.com

Alex Hales is set to make a dramatic England return in the T20 World Cup after positive talks about ending his three-year exclusion from the set-up.

The 33-year-old has not featured for his country since a failed recreational drugs test in the summer of the 2019 World Cup led to his banishment from the squad.

During his subsequent exile, a “breakdown in trust” was often cited by the captain, Eoin Morgan. But events have now conspired to bring a fresh opening, through Morgan’s retirement in April and the passing the leadership baton to Jos Buttler, Jason Roy’s slump of form and the freak broken leg suffered by Jonny Bairstow playing golf last week.

Hales has remained among the premium batters on the global T20 circuit and with Rob Key stressing he had “served his time” upon being appointed director of England cricket in April, and a place at the T20 World Cup in Australia this October now beckons.

cricket golf shock cup Eoin Morgan Jonny Bairstow Jos Buttler Chris Woakes Jason Roy Australia Pakistan county Hale

Jos Buttler is itching to make his return from injury during their seven-match series in Pakistan but they will not take any risks with the batsman so close to the Twenty20 World Cup. Buttler has not played in the series so far as he recovers from a calf injury he sustained while playing in The Hundred, with the team being led by Moeen Ali.

England won't take risks with Buttler before T20 World Cup

England's limited-overs coach Matthew Mott said Jos Buttler is itching to make his return from injury during their seven-match series in Pakistan but they will not take any risks with the batsman so close to the Twenty20 World Cup.

England, Pakistan build for T20 World Cup in long-awaited series

Pakistan and England continue their build-up for next month's T20 World Cup in Australia when they begin a seven-match series in Karachi on Tuesday -- the tourists' first visit since 2005. The long-awaited return of England comes five months after a trouble-free tour by Australia, their first in 24 years, which helped Pakistan's rehabilitation as a safe place to play cricket. International cricket has gradually returned to Pakistan following years where they were forced to play home matches in neutral venues after a deadly attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in 2009. England had been originally scheduled to arrive in October last year but cancelled at short notice after New Zealand pulled out of a tour citing safety concerns. England's withdrawal infuriated the Pakistan Cricket Board, who called it "disrespectful" as they made strides to show the country was a secure destination.