Eoin Morgan Wants Fringe Players To Target 2021 World Cup Squad

England have fielded two separate teams for Test and T20I due to the Covid-19 situation. The T20I squad for England will not have the likes of Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer and Mark Wood while Jason Roy will miss out due an injury in the T20I series against Pakistan, starting later today.

England limited-overs captain Eoin Morgan believes this will be an opportunity for the fringe players to grab their opportunity and make the most of it. Players like Tom Banton, Dawid Malan and Lewis Gregory are likely to get their chances in the T20I series against Pakistan. And Morgan has said that it will be an opportunity for them to target the 15-man squad for the World Cup next year.

“It gives guys the chance to stake their claim to be in that final 15-man squad for the World Cup next year,” Morgan told reporters on Thursday.

“Given the circumstances surrounding COVID and the restrictions we have selection-wise, this is an opportunity for guys who would potentially sit outside that 15 to try and present their best case for the upcoming winter tours and the World Cup.

“Opportunities like this don’t come around all that often when we have our squad at full strength.”

The T20 World Cup was postponed to next year due to the Covid-19 situation.

The T20I series against Pakistan is slated to get underway from August 28 at Old Trafford. The remaining two matches will be played at the same venue on the 30th and September 1.

The visitors have been a dominating force the T20I format. They last beat South Africa 2-1 in this format at home.