Ahead of Tuesday’s Twenty20 international match against Pakistan, Jos Buttler has pulled out of the England team to be with his wife, who is set to give birth to their third child.
The hosts took a 1-0 lead in the rain-affected four-game series with a 23-run victory in Birmingham on Saturday thanks to a match-winning 84 from the 33-year-old England captain.
He will now, however, be absent from Wednesday’s third Twenty20 match in Cardiff, as vice captain Moeen Ali will lead England at Sophia Gardens in his place.
In Buttler’s absence, Ben Duckett might be brought in to open, or England might move Will Jacks up from No. 3 after he scored 37 off 23 balls against Pakistan at Birmingham’s Edgbaston Stadium.
All-rounder Jacks of Surrey just returned from a stay in the T20 Indian Premier League, where he led Royal Challengers Bengaluru to victory over Gujarat Titans by nine wickets with a stunning unbeaten hundred.
Jacks is familiar with Phil Salt from their days playing franchise cricket, and he would start the batting with him if he were to move up the order for England on Tuesday.
According to Jacks, “I think we’re both very comfortable,” Sky Sports. Together, Phil and I have played a lot of cricket, including franchise cricket, which comes in handy when we visit England.
