Seamer Liam Plunkett is determined to be in England‘s squad for the T20 World Cup in Australia later this year, despite being omitted from recent limited-overs squads.
Plunkett was key to England's title-winning World Cup campaign in the United Kingdom last year. He was not afforded a central contract in September 2019, though, and is not part of the squads for this month's ODI and T20I series against South Africa.
“I am fully committed to making a comeback to the England squad in my bid to play the T20 World Cup later this year and that is my priority currently,” Plunkett told Cricbuzz.
“I have a contract with Surrey until the end of the 2021 season and if I feel confident about maintaining a level of form and fitness befitting that of a professional cricketer then I would certainly like to carry on playing county cricket beyond 2021 as well.”
England in Australia and South Africa
England won the World Twenty20 (since renamed the T20 World Cup in 2010. They have been pooled with India, South Africa, Afghanistan and two qualifying teams for this year's tournament. Bet365 have priced England at 5.50 to win the T20 World Cup this year.
Fast bowler Jofra Archer's availability for the 2020 T20 World Cup remains in the balance. He is nursing an elbow injured sustained during the recent Test series against South Africa. He has been ruled out of the T20I series against the Proteas.
“Archer returned to the United Kingdom on Tuesday and will focus his time on getting fit after sustaining soreness to his right elbow, which forced him out of the last three Tests against the Proteas,” read a statement from the England and Wales Cricket Board late last month.
“The right-arm quick managed one appearance on the red-ball leg of the tour where he took five wickets in the opening Test of the four-match series at Supersport Park, which England won three-one in Johannesburg.”
South Africa and England are currently contesting the three-ODI series. The hosts won the first match at Newlands in Cape Town on the back of a century from captain Quinton de Kock. The second match will be played at Kingsmead in Durban on Friday. The third and final fixture will be hosted by the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Sunday.
