England recall Mason Crane and rest Archer for Pakistan tri-series
England recalled Mason Crane and left Archer out of the squad for the one-day international tri-series in Pakistan, in a squad announced on 1 October 2026 ahead of the tournament next month.
Crane, 29, has one Test cap (v Australia in Sydney in 2018) and two T20 international appearances from 2017 and is being given another international opportunity; selectors also welcomed back Sam Curran and Adil Rashid from injury while uncapped James Coles and Henry Crocombe were included. Jos Buttler was omitted because of the hamstring injury he sustained last week, Jacob Bethell remains in recovery from knee surgery, and Brydon Carse is absent while under investigation following an incident outside a nightclub in Derby in August.
The full England squad named for the tri-series in Pakistan is: Harry Brook (Yorkshire – captain), Gus Atkinson (Surrey), Sonny Baker (Hampshire), Tom Banton (Somerset), James Coles (Sussex), Jordan Cox (Essex), Mason Crane (Glamorgan), Henry Crocombe (Sussex), Sam Curran (Surrey), Liam Dawson (Hampshire), Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire), Will Jacks (Surrey), Jamie Overton (Surrey), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Josh Tongue (Nottinghamshire).
The recall of Glamorgan's Crane was highlighted by England after a season in which he took 34 wickets in the County Championship and scored his first two first-class hundreds; national selector Marcus North said: "Mason Crane has been performing consistently for Glamorgan across both formats during the summer. He's an experienced, high-class leg-spinner who thoroughly deserves another opportunity at international level."
Brendon McCullum will lead the white-ball coaching group in Pakistan with Jeetan Patel, Mike Yardy, David Saker and Carl Hopkinson assisting, following Stephen Fleming's arrival as Test coach; Marcus Trescothick, who temporarily took charge of the Test team over the summer, will not travel to Pakistan. It is understood the make-up of the coaching staff is part of a plan to rotate the coaches – fielding coach Sarah Taylor and fast-bowling coach Tim Southee are also not going to Pakistan, and all of Trescothick, Taylor and Southee are likely to be part of England's coaching team for other tours this winter.
Archer was described as a first choice in all three formats for England and his omission from the Pakistan trip was presented as an example of how pace bowlers might be managed across the winter; McCullum has already said other seamers could miss the T20 series in Australia to prepare for the three Tests in South Africa. The tri-series will see the three teams play each other twice, with the top two advancing to the final.
There will be live Test Match Special commentary for all matches on England's tour of Pakistan: 18 October – Pakistan v Sri Lanka, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium (10:00 BST); 20 October – Pakistan v England, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium (10:00 BST); 22 October – Sri Lanka v England, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium (10:00 BST); 25 October – Pakistan v England, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore (09:00 GMT); 27 October – Pakistan v Sri Lanka, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore (09:00 GMT); 29 October – Sri Lanka v England, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore (09:00 GMT); 31 October – Tri-series final, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore (09:00 GMT).
England remain focused on limited-overs cricket until three Tests in South Africa in December as part of their build-up to the 50-over World Cup in southern Africa next year, will play three one-day internationals and five T20s in Australia in November, and are expected to name their squad for the Australia tour along with a new list of centrally contracted players next week.
