Nottinghamshire’s Alex Hales has been added to the England squads for the ICC men’s T20 World Cup and the preceding short-format series in Pakistan and Australia.
The 33-year-old replaces the injured Jonny Bairstow in the squads having last represented his country in 2019.
Hales has amassed over 10,000 runs in T20 cricket and averages 30.71 with a strike-rate of 147.58 in the format.
In the past two seasons of the Vitality Blast, he has struck over 850 runs, with top scores of 101* against Lancashire and 91 against Derbyshire.
In 2022, his strike rate of 193.78 was the highest of any batter to have had at least five innings in the tournament.
He has also enjoyed prolific stints in recent years in the domestic competitions of Pakistan and Australia, as well as with the Trent Rockets in The Hundred.
For his country, the right-hander averages 31 with eight fifties and one century – the first for the Three Lions in the format – across 60 T20 appearances.
Departing on 14 September, Hales and England’s first stop will be a seven-match series in Pakistan, followed by three fixtures against the host nation in Australia ahead of the T20 World Cup.
Hales will be joined in the England party for the Pakistan leg of the tour by his Nottinghamshire teammate, Ben Duckett.
England ICC Men's T20 World Cup Squad & Three-Match IT20 Series versus Australia: Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood. Travelling Reserves: Liam Dawson, Richard Gleeson, Tymal Mills.
England Men's IT20 Squad Tour of Pakistan: Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali, Harry Brook, Jordan Cox, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Liam Dawson, Richard Gleeson, Tom Helm, Will Jacks, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Olly Stone, Reece Topley, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Luke Wood, Mark Wood.
*******
The Royal London Cup Final
The timeless pomp, ceremony and tradition of county cricket's historic 50-over final is soon to take place at Trent Bridge.
Lancashire and Kent will go head-to-head in the showpiece finale of the Royal London Cup at our historic home on Saturday 17 September.