England will travel to the Caribbean for their T20 World Cup defence in June without an anchor aboard ship, their team director, Rob Key, instead confident that six-hitting power is the best way to approach a possible “slugfest”.
This much was clear from the 15‑man provisional squad named by Key on Tuesday; one that must atone for last year’s carbuncle of a 50-over World Cup campaign in India. It brings a return for Jofra Archer after his latest year-long injury ordeal, the best wishes of the nation very much behind him. But overall it is clearly designed to outgun opponents amid the rising tide of run-rates in Twenty20 cricket this year.
