Moeen Ali unsure of Buttler's return to the national side

image-l8nin65y Jos Buttler. (PC- Twitter)

England stand-in captain Moeen Ali stated that his side is not ready to risk its key player, Jos Buttler, with the ICC men’s T20 World Cup 2022 just around the corner.

England's limited overs skipper Buttler has not played since August 18 due to a calf injury he sustained during The Hundred but is with England on the T20 tour of Pakistan as he closes in on a comeback.

England arrived in Pakistan for a bilateral series for the first time since 2005 for seven T20Is and will return in December for three Tests as well. However, captain Buttler had said that he felt it was important to travel “whether fit to play the games or not".

England not ready to risk Buttler

Speaking at a post-match press conference on Wednesday (September 28), the English all-rounder did not rule out the possibility of Buttler's comeback in the side for the remaining two T20Is of the series as he had been training in the nets and recovered well, but said he will not risk a big player like Buttler ahead of the T20 World Cup in Australia.

“Personally, I don’t think we’ll risk such a big player (Jos Buttler) for us with the World Cup just around the corner. But he might wake up and say that I feel good. We know he has recovered well…So he might turn up tomorrow and say look I seem playing and I’m good,” said Moeen Ali.

England have decided not to risk their captain Jos Buttler by playing him in the ongoing seven-match T20I series against Pakistan as the series shifted to the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Buttler was never in contention to play in the first four T20Is in Karachi, even with England lagging behind in the series at 3-2 but there are chances that he may well make his much-awaited return to the side in the last T20Is.

The wicketkeeper batter has played an active role in training on the tour and acted as the 12th man in the last couple of matches.   

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