ENG vs PAK 3rd T20I: The England skipper Jos Buttler is set to miss the ENG vs PAK 3rd T20I in Cardiff and has left the team on Monday, 27 May. Moeen Ali is likely to take the captaincy duties in the third of the four-match T20I series against Pakistan.
Jos Buttler has left the squad to be with his wife, who is expected to give birth to their child. Buttler is the skipper of England’s National team but will miss the third and probably the fourth T20I against Pakistan and stay with for wife before the birth of their 3rd Child.
As reported by SKY SPORTS, Moeen Ali will take over the rank of Buttler for the 3rd T20I and might lead the side in the 4th T20I as well if Buttler doesn’t make himself available.
Buttler led the English side in the Second T20I where the home team won the match by 23 runs and took the 1-0 lead in the series. He himself was the main architect of winning the opening match with such domination. He bagged 84 runs in 51 balls with a strike rate of 164.
Will Jacks To Open in Place of Buttler?
Sky Sports News reporter James Cole said, “England have been planning for this eventuality, as much as you can plan for the birth of a child. He could return for the final T20I at The Oval at the end of this week. The captaincy, we believe, will go to Moeen Ali, who is the vice-captain.”
“In terms of opening the batting here, it could be Will Jacks. He’s batting at No 3 at the moment, but he’s opened the batting in a T20 before and is comfortable in that position,” he added.
Buttler is not only the skipper of the side, but also plays an important role as the opening batter. Filling his shoes in the last two T20Is isn’t going to be that easy for Moeen. However, Will Jacks also dropped some hints about his opening with Phil Salt in the upcoming matches.
Will Jacks said “I think we’re both very comfortable. I and Phil have played a lot of cricket together – we’ve played franchise cricket together which definitely helps when we come to England. We understand each other’s games very well and we’re both that kind of free-flowing, top-order batters everyone has nowadays”
We might also see Jofra Archer to be rested and Mark Wood to play in the 3rd T20I, as per the report on SKY SPORTS.
READ: ENG vs PAK 3rd T20I Playing11, Dream11 Prediction, Full Squad, Sophia Gardens Cardiff Pitch Report
SOURCE- SKY SPORTS NEWS