England wicket-keeper batsman Jonny Bairstow said that the upcoming T20I assignment against New Zealand is the start of their journey towards the T20 World Cup, scheduled to be played next year.
Jonny Bairstow was left out of the squad for the two-test series in New Zealand but included in the Twenty20 squad for the tour that begins in November.
Eoin Morgan, who led England to their maiden World Cup triumph with a win over New Zealand in July’s final, will return to take up the captaincy for the T20 matches as they step up their preparations for the World Cup in October next year.
“I think it does feel like the start of that journey towards the T20 World Cup,” Bairstow said, after top-scoring with a 45-ball 78* in England’s six-wicket win in a warm-up fixture against a New Zealand XI.
“It’s going to come around thick and fast. Seeing guys who’ve played county cricket taking the step up to international cricket is going to be fascinating. That, coupled with the guys that are not on this tour but will come back into the team, there’s going to be competition for places.”
England won their maiden 50-over World Cup title in July this year, after a thrilling final against New Zealand at Lord’s, and Bairstow hoped that his side’s 50-over success could spur them on to T20 World Cup glory next year in Australia.
“The cycle for the 50-over World Cup started four years ago,” he said. “Hopefully, we’re fortunate enough that the way we’ve played our 50-over cricket will lead us well into our T20 cricket.
“It’s a fascinating period to be playing cricket for England. There’s some very, very talented guys that have played a lot of cricket now for England that are all together and have the experience of going through the ups, the downs and everything in between.”
England T20I squad: Eoin Morgan (captain), Jonny Bairstow, Tom Banton, Sam Billings, Pat Brown, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Joe Denly, Lewis Gregory, Chris Jordan, Saqib Mahmood, Dawid Malan, Matt Parkinson, Adil Rashid, James Vince.
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