England have resisted the urge to rest key players and have announced a full-strength squad for the one-off Twenty20 match against Pakistan at Old Trafford next Wednesday. The captain, Eoin Morgan, can call on the experience of Joe Root, who is named alongside the all-rounder Moeen Ali and Nottinghamshire’s Alex Hales. All three were rested for the win against Sri Lanka in July. Sussex’s fast bowler Tymal Mills has once again been named in order to bring pace into the side though Chris Woakes – who might have expected a call-up as an experienced all-rounder – misses out, as do Middlesex’s Dawid Malan, Yorkshire’s Jonny Bairstow and the Hampshire pair of Liam Dawson and James Vince.
The squad includes nine of the players who steered England to an eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka at the Ageas Bowl. The Durham pair of Ben Stokes and Mark Wood return, with Stokes in line for a first international T20 appearance since his final-over disaster against the West Indies in the ICC World T20 final in February.
Wood, who has returned to full fitness after a long lay-off, will be hoping to add to his solitary Twenty20 cap, which came against New Zealand in June 2015.
James Whitaker, the national selector, said: “It is excellent to see the progress we are making in white ball cricket across both formats. The T20 international against Pakistan will give the squad another opportunity to measure their development.
“The squad has an exciting feel with exceptional talent throughout. We are delighted to welcome back Ben Stokes and Mark Wood into the squad. Both are world-class players and are an important part of our long-term plans to become the best side in the world.”
England Twenty20 squad to face Pakistan
Eoin Morgan (Middlesex; capt), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Sam Billings (Kent), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Alex Hales (Nottinghamshire), Chris Jordan (Sussex), Tymal Mills (Sussex), Liam Plunkett (Yorkshire) Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Jason Roy (Surrey), Ben Stokes (Durham), David Willey (Yorkshire), Mark Wood (Durham)
