[Watch] Jofra Archer spotted playing in a Barbados league match ahead of 2024 T20 World Cup
England all-rounder, Jofra Archer, turned up in a Barbados local match days after his inclusion in the Jos Buttler-led side for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 and the home series against Pakistan. The speedster last played competitive cricket during the 2023 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
After an injury-riddled IPL campaign last year, Archer missed out on the home Ashes series against Australia as well as the 2023 ODI World Cup. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has been patient in his recovery as they view him as an indispensable talent, particularly in white-ball cricket.
In a video that has gone viral on social media, Jofra Archer was seen plying his trades for a local team in Barbados. He sent the stumps for a cartwheel after casting the opposition batter and will be on the lookout to do the same when he travels with the rest of his England teammates to the Caribbean islands for the World Cup.
Have a look at Archer in Barbados club colors right here:
The all-rounder apparently represented Wildley against Carlton in the semi-finals of the 2024 BCA T20 Championship. Archer was influential across both departments to send Carlton into the finals, as he scored 54 runs off 20 deliveries to help his side post 191/6. Then with the ball, he finished with figures of 3/16 to bowl out the opposition for 157 runs.
Jofra Archer played for his old school club in Barbados in 2023 without ECB's permission
During recuperation from his elbow injury in late 2023, Archer played for Foundation against Lords in the first division of the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) league.
ECB director of men's cricket Rob Key had expressed his surprise after learning of Archer's exploits in the Caribbean.
“I'm not aware of that, I'll find out. We're just going to take it slow with him, we don't want to put any sort of deadlines on him. That's what we've done in the past, and we're trying to learn from that. If it takes an extra couple of months, but he gets another couple of years out of his career and gets back fully. He's worth his weight in gold," Key had said back then.
Jofra Archer's last outing for England came in early 2023 during the tour of South Africa and Bangladesh.