Sports

Stokes out of England T20 squad

AFP

England all-rounder Ben Stokes was left out of the squad announced on Tuesday for the upcoming Twenty20 internatonal matches against Australia and India.

The 14-man squad did contain Surrey seamer Sam Curran, who made his Test debut against Pakistan at Headingley earlier this month.

England on Monday said that the hamstring tear Stokes suffered before that second Test against Pakistan is "progressing well", and it is possible hoped he could play in the three-match Twenty20 series against India starting on July 3.

That remains a possibility as the Durham star will travel with the squad selected for those three matches and the preceding one-off Twenty20 fixture against Australia, which will follow the ongoing one-day international series, at Edgbaston on June 27.

Fast bowler Mark Wood, a county colleague of Stokes's at Durham, has been rested  from the squad, with Jake Ball now in contention to win his first Twenty20 cap.

Middlesex batsman Dawid Malan was a surprising omission given he has four fifties in just five T20 international appearances including two in succession in England's most recent matches in New Zealand.

He averages exactly 50 in the format, but he was omitted along with T20 regulars Sam Billings and liam Dawson.

But Test captain Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow returned alongside Moeen Ali, after the Yorkshire duo were rested from England's Twenty20 programme last winter.

"Durham seamer Mark Wood is rested," said an England and Wales Cricket Board statement issued on Tuesday.

"All-rounder Ben Stokes will be with the squad throughout the series as he continues his rehabilitation from his torn left hamstring."

Chris Woakes was again omitted as he has yet to regain full fitness after tearing his thigh and having an injection in, what England hve said, is a "chronic" knee injury.

The Warwickshire paceman still hopes to be available an time for the three-match one-day international series against India, which starts on July 12.

Mustafizur out

Bangladesh have left out Mustafizur Rahman from their 15-man squad for next month's Test series against West Indies after the pacer failed to recover from an injury.

The 22-year-old left-arm seamer, who has claimed 26 wickets in 10 Tests, hurt his left big toe last month during an Indian Premier league match he played for the Mumbai Indians.

Mustafizur was yet to regain his fitness from the injury which also forced him to miss the recent three-match Twenty20 series against Afghanistan, chief selector Minhajul Abedin said Monday.

"Barring a miracle he is unlikely to be fit before the second Test, so we left him out from the squad," Abedin said.

The first Test will be played in Antigua from July 4 while the second and final Test will be held in Kingston, Jamaica from July 12.

Right-arm paceman Abu Jayed, who has played three Twenty20 internationals, earned his maiden call-up to the Test squad.