England Captain Jos Buttler to Miss 3rd T20I Against Pakistan for Birth of Third Child
|
|
Jos Buttler takes part in a wicketkeeping drill, IMAGE -
Espncricinfo |
London, United Kingdom (UK) – England’s cricket team will face Pakistan in the third T20I without their captain, Jos Buttler, as he has left the squad to attend the birth of his third child. Buttler, who played a pivotal role in England’s victory in the first game of the series with a stunning match-winning 84, will miss the crucial match in Cardiff on Wednesday.
Jos Buttler is set to miss our third IT20 match vs Pakistan as his wife Louise is expecting the birth of their third child 👨👩👧👧
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) May 27, 2024
Wishing Jos, Louise and the family all the best 🙏 pic.twitter.com/5KRJ9xmMGT
With Buttler absent, vice-captain Moeen Ali is set to lead the team at Sophia Gardens. Ben Duckett is expected to step into the opening spot, filling the void left by Buttler. England currently leads the four-game series 1-0, following a washout in Leeds and a victory in Birmingham.
This series is not only significant as a contest between two competitive sides but also serves as a vital warm-up for the T20 World Cup. The World Cup, scheduled to take place in the Caribbean and the United States, will see England defending their title starting with their opening match against Scotland in Barbados on June 4.
As England adjusts to these changes, the team will rely on Moeen Ali's leadership and the performances of key players like Ben Duckett and Jofra Archer to maintain their advantage in the series. The final match at The Oval will be critical for fine-tuning the squad ahead of their World Cup campaign.