2 new faces included as England announce 16-man squad for West Indies T20Is
England have announced a 16-man squad for their five-match T20I series in West Indies in January next year.
The Eoin Morgan-led team includes 11 members from their squad for the T20 World Cup 2021, even as the likes of Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes, among others playing in the 2021 Ashes, didn't find a mention.
The team is also carrying a couple of new faces. Left-arm pacer and lower-order batter George Garton, who made his debut for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in IPL 2021, is one of them.
David Payne, a 30-year-old left-arm pacer for Gloucestershire with 243 wickets across T20 and List A cricket, is the other.
Paul Collingwood, who will stand in as head coach for the five-match series in Chris Silverwood's absence, in an official statement said:
"We have selected a strong squad with some serious batting power and a balanced attack as we begin preparations ahead of the T20 World Cup in Australia.
"The World Cup is less than a year away and there will be increased opportunities for the squad in the absence of those players who are with the Ashes squad.
"I have good memories winning a World Cup in Barbados and I'm really looking forward to going back there with this squad to face a very good West Indies who will test all aspects of our skills."
16-player squad ๐
2 uncapped players ๐งข
#WIvENG
Jason Roy, who was ruled out midway through the T20 World Cup, has also returned to the team.
In the absence of Buttler, Stokes, Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow, Chris Woakes and Mark Wood, the likes of Payne, Garton, Saqib Mahmood, Tom Banton and Phil Salt will have the opportunity to put their hands up.
England squad for West Indies T20Is: Eoin Morgan (captain), Moeen Ali, Tom Banton, Sam Billings, Liam Dawson, George Garton, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Saqib Mahmood, Tymal Mills, David Payne, Adil Rashid, Jason Roy, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, James Vince
Full schedule of England's tour of West Indies
Congratulations to @tmills15 and @george_garton who have been named in the England squad for the upcoming T20I series against West Indies. ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ ๐
Well deserved. ๐ #GOSBTS
January 22 โ 1st T20I West Indies v England
January 23 โ 2nd T20I West Indies v England
January 26 โ 3rd T20I West Indies v England
January 29 โ 4th T20I West Indies v England
January 30 โ 5th T20I West Indies v England
(All matches to be played at Kensington Oval, Barbados).