In a major blow to England’s T20I series against Pakistan, captain Jos Buttler is set to miss the upcoming third match scheduled for Cardiff on May 28th. The reason for his absence, however, is a joyous one – Buttler and his wife Louise are expecting the imminent arrival of their third child.
This is certainly sparkling news for Buttler, who played a crucial role in England’s 23-run victory over Pakistan at Edgbaston, securing a 1-0 lead for the hosts. However, his absence leaves a void in the batting lineup.
Buttler, unsurprisingly, prioritized his family and traveled back to London to be with his wife Louise after the second T20I in Birmingham. He missed the team’s training session in Cardiff and is unlikely to feature in third T20I at the Sophia Gardens.
While his return for the final match of the series at The Oval on Thursday remains uncertain, it is expected that he will rejoin the squad for their departure to the Caribbean for the T20 World Cup on time.
Who can England replace Jos Buttler vs PAK?
Buttler’s explosive 84 runs off just 51 balls while opening the batting at Edgbaston was a key factor in England’s win. In his absence, the team will need to adjust their batting order. The most likely scenario sees Will Jacks and Jonny Bairstow moving up a spot each in the lineup. This would open a slot at number four, potentially for Ben Duckett. Duckett has a stellar T20I record against Pakistan, having mustered 233 runs at an average of 46.60 and at a strike rate of 159.58 against the Men in Green.
The team might also consider adding another bowling all-rounder like Sam Curran to bolster their bowling attack. Vice-captain Moeen Ali, who has led 12 T20s previously, is expected to skipper the team in Buttler’s absence.
