England’s cricket team did better in defending their T20 World Cup title than their 50-over title, but it still wasn’t enough for a successful campaign. They lost to India by 68 runs in the semi-final, ending their tournament run.
Captain Jos Buttler highlighted the need for an honest review after their disappointing performance. With England’s squad getting older, new players are likely to join by the T20 World Cup in 2026. Some current players may have already played their last T20I.
Here are five England players who might have played their final T20I.
1. Jonny Bairstow
Jonny Bairstow might be one of the first players dropped before the next T20 World Cup because he didn’t perform well this year. The Yorkshire cricketer scored only 110 runs in eight matches, with an average of 27.50 and a strike rate of 134.50.
Bairstow, a seasoned player, couldn’t deliver in the semi-final against India, getting out cheaply and hurting England’s chances in their run chase. With Will Jacks being a strong T20 player, it raises questions about continuing with Bairstow in the team.
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2. Moeen Ali
Moeen Ali retired from Test cricket after the 2023 Ashes series and now only plays in limited-overs international matches. He started playing T20Is in 2014, but his career in this format hasn’t been very successful. In 92 T20Is, he has scored 1,229 runs and taken 51 wickets.
In 2024, Moeen scored 71 runs and took three wickets with his off-spin bowling. At 37 years old, he might not play for much longer, and England’s selectors are likely looking for younger players who can have longer careers.
3. Chris Jordan
Chris Jordan has played in all three formats for England, but he is mainly a T20 specialist and is known for bowling in the final overs. He helped England win the 2022 T20 World Cup and bowled well in the semi-final against India in Adelaide.
Jordan has taken 108 wickets in 95 T20I matches for England, making him their second-highest wicket-taker. At 35 years old, he was the first English cricketer to get a hat-trick in T20Is and took 10 wickets in five T20Is in a recent season. However, he can sometimes be a bit expensive.
Because of his age, the selectors are likely to start phasing him out soon.
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4. Mark Wood
Mark Wood, a fast bowler from Durham, has had a stop-and-go career in T20 international cricket mainly due to frequent injuries. Despite this, he has performed well with 50 wickets at an average of 19.58 in 34 matches.
In the 2024 T20 World Cup, Wood had a disappointing run, taking only three wickets in five matches with an average of 37.67. It’s likely that he will retire from T20 internationals to focus more on prolonging his Test cricket career, especially since he is already 34 years old.
5. Adil Rashid
Adil Rashid has been England’s top spinner in one-day cricket since their turnaround after the 2015 World Cup struggles. He played a crucial role in their 2022 World Cup victory in Australia. Rashid had a good tournament this year, taking 10 wickets in eight matches at an average of 18.60 and an economy rate of 6.64. However, Rashid, now in his 30s, may soon need a successor despite staying with the team until the 2025 Champions Trophy. It’s uncertain if the 36-year-old, their leading wicket-taker in T20s, will continue to play until the 2026 T20 World Cup.
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