BRADFORD duo Adil Rashid and Jonny Bairstow have been included in England’s T20 World Cup squad, alongside Keighley-born Harry Brook.

The Yorkshire County Cricket Club trio were always likely to be included, with leg-spinner Rashid arguably England’s best-ever T20 bowler, and the only man to take a century of wickets (107) for them in the format.

Brook and Bairstow will form part of an explosive England top order alongside captain Jos Buttler, Will Jacks and Phil Salt.

Bairstow has been selected just days after banisheing a run of indifferent form with a timely century for Punjab Kings in the prestigious Indian Premier League.

Buttler, Jacks and Salt are also currently playing out in the IPL, with the latter two in particular producing some eye-catching exploits.

Brook only made his T20 debut for England two years ago, but with a ferocious strike rate of close to 150, and a highly-respectable average of over 27, he is one of the first names on England’s T20 team sheet.

But the 25-year-old will be looking to bounce back from a poor individual T20 World Cup last time out in Australia.

England won that 2022 tournament, but Brook struggled, only averaging 11, with a highest score of 20 and strike rate under 100.

The trio’s Yorkshire team-mate Dawid Malan misses out on the squad, one he was hopeful of being selected for, no surprise given he is currently ranked the 11th best batsman in the world in the form.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Veteran batsman Dawid Malan is a key figure in Yorkshire's T20 set-up, but his England career looks to be in doubt now.Veteran batsman Dawid Malan is a key figure in Yorkshire's T20 set-up, but his England career looks to be in doubt now. (Image: Ray Spencer.)

A couple of big calls were made elsewhere by England’s managing director of men’s cricket Rob Key, not least Jofra Archer being given the chance to end his latest injury nightmare.

The express seamer has been included in England's T20 World Cup squad, alongside uncapped spinner Tom Hartley and veteran seamer Chris Jordan.

Archer, who has endured a horror run of injuries since his breakthrough summer of 2019, has not played competitive cricket for a year following a recurrence of a stress fracture in his right elbow.

But after a slow and steady period of rehabilitation he has been passed fit and takes his place in the 15-man squad that will defend the title Buttler's side won in Australia in 2022.

Archer has managed just 15 T20 appearances since making his international debut five years ago, but is still considered a potential game-changer in the format and, having grown up in Barbados, knows the Caribbean conditions where England will play their games better than most.

Archer's close friend and fellow Bajan, Chris Jordan, also returns to the squad for his fifth T20 World Cup campaign.

Already the country's leading T20 wicket-taker among pace bowlers, the 35-year-old effectively inherits the role of senior seamer from Chris Woakes, who does not feature after disappointing returns in England's 50-over World Cup washout in India this winter.

There are nine survivors from that tournament, with Hartley the newest face among the group, which includes the versatile Ben Duckett as a spare batter.

Hartley has nipped in front of Rehan Ahmed as the back-up spin option to established duo Rashid and Moeen Ali, a reward for his mature displays on his maiden Test tour of India.

Despite his creditable showings with the red ball, Hartley has more experience as a limited-overs player as a regular for Lancashire in the Vitality Blast and Manchester Originals in The Hundred.

Mark Wood and Reece Topley join Archer and Jordan to make up the seam department, with 2022's player of the tournament Sam Curran and Liam Livingstone the all-rounders.