Stokes, Archer will have T20 Word Cup places kept open: England coach Mott

PTI, Dec 21, 2023, 1:34 PM IST

Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago: Star all-rounder Ben Stokes’ match-winning prowess and Jofra Archer’s ‘box-office pace’ are a must for England in the 2024 T20 World Cup and the two injured players will have places kept open in the team for them, said white-ball coach Matthew Mott.

Stokes is recovering from a knee operation he underwent in November and hopes to be fit to captain England in the Test series in India in January-March next year. While fast bowler Archer has not featured for England since March because of an elbow injury.

The duo is expected to make the T20 World Cup squad for the showpiece event starting in June, fitness permitting.

“I think that’s a given,” Mott said when asked whether Stokes and Archer will be in the mix for World Cup selection.

“Ben, aside from his incredible match-winning ability in every department, gives us that ability to have a seam bowler in your top six that gives you so many options with your team balance…It makes selection a hell of a lot easier. So that’s a given,” he said ahead of the fifth and final T20I against West Indies.

“In terms of Jofra, you’ve just got absolute box-office pace, change of pace, bowl any over in the innings. Bowl your Super Over, bowl your last over when they need to. Him on the park is massive, everyone would agree with that.”

Archer has struggled with a series of injuries which have kept him out of Test cricket since 2021. He played just seven white-ball games in 2023. He has not been selected in the Test squad to tour India in January-March next year.

The T20 World Cup will be held in June next year in the West Indies and United States.

Mott also indicated that the opening pair of Jos Buttler and Phil Salt is also expected to be in the T20 World Cup team.

“It’s looking pretty good, isn’t it?” Mott said when asked about the Buttler-Salt pairing that has put on back-to-back century partnerships in the last two innings.

“We’ve got a lot of time between now and then. Obviously, Salty has put an undeniable case there and Jos is one of the greatest of all time. So how we get that top six or seven going will be an interesting thing.”

The five-match T20I series between England and the West Indies is levelled at 2-2 with the last game to be played on Friday.

The series is significant for England as all of their group-stage fixtures of the T20 World Cup are expected to be played in Antigua, Barbados and St Lucia.

“We always said with this series we’ll go pretty close to the side we’re looking for; otherwise, why would they be here?” Mott said.

“We don’t get many opportunities to play together before the World Cup. So, this is a very strong team we’ve bought out here.”