Somerset cricket captain named in England squad

Tom Abell has received his first call-up to both the ODI and T20 squads

It’s a solid day for the Somerset County Cricket Club captain.

Tom Abell, set to captain the England Lions in the upcoming ODI series in Sri Lanka, has received his first call-up to both the ODI and T20 squads.

England have called up leg spinner Rehan Ahmed, 18, to their white ball squad for the first time ahead of their upcoming tour of Bangladesh.

Ahmed became England’s youngest Test cricketer when he faced Pakistan in Karachi in December and celebrated the opportunity with a five-wicket draw.

The Leicestershire spinner had only played three top-flight games before his Test debut but has slightly more experience at white-ball cricket, having played 19 T20 games and seven List A games for his county.

Lancashire fast bowler Saqib Mahmood has been added to the ODI squad for the first time since suffering a stress fracture on his back in May.

The 25-year-old is currently with the England Lions in Sri Lanka but has yet to bowl during the Red Ball series.

However, there was no place for Alex Hales, who will play franchise cricket in the Pakistan Super League after returning to the national lineup just last summer.

Hales played a crucial role in England’s win at the T20 World Cup in Australia in November after a positive drug test on the eve of the 2019 World Cup resulted in three and a half years in the international wilderness.

Adil Rashid, Moeen Ali and Jason Roy were also chosen by PSL franchises but were included for the Bangladesh tour.

James Vince has been called up to the ODI squad after missing out on South Africa’s recent 50-over series.

England will play three ODIs and three T20s in Bangladesh from March 1-14 in what will be their first T20 games since Jos Buttler’s side became world champions in November.

ODI Squad: Jos Buttler (Lancashire, Captain), Tom Abell (Somerset), Rehan Ahmed (Leicestershire), Moeen Ali (Warwickshire), Jofra Archer (Sussex), Sam Curran (Surrey), Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire), Dawid Malan (Yorkshire), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Jason Roy (Surrey), Phil Salt (Lancashire), Reece Topley (Surrey), James Vince (Hampshire), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire), Mark Wood (Durham).

IT20 Squad: Jos Buttler (Lancashire, Captain), Tom Abell (Somerset), Rehan Ahmed (Leicestershire), Moeen Ali (Warwickshire), Jofra Archer (Sussex), Sam Curran (Surrey), Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire), Will Jacks (Surrey), Chris Jordan (Surrey), Dawid Malan (Yorkshire), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Phil Salt (Lancashire), Reece Topley (Surrey), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire), Mark Wood (Durham).

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