England pacer Jofra Archer set for competitive return in SA20 cricket league

Durban [South Africa], January 9 (ANI): England’s star speedster Jofra Archer will play competitive cricket for the first time in nearly 18 months as he moves back to full fitness ahead of an exciting year for England.

As per Skysports, fast bowler Archer will play two matches for MI Cape Town in the South Africa T20 cricket league, the SA20, ahead of the Ashes series and the ODI World Cup. Archer has been sidelined with elbow issues and a stress fracture in his back since March 2021.

England’s managing director of men’s cricket, Rob Key, confirmed Archer’s phased return to cricket during the training camp in Abu Dhabi.

“Our plan for him is he will play two games in the South African franchise [competition], which will be his first competitive cricket. If he gets through that, we will pick him for the South Africa ODI series, so he will go from four overs to 10 overs,” Skysports.com quoted Rob Key saying.

Archer was included in the MI Cape Town squad for the SA20 season, which begins on Tuesday against Paarl Royals and concludes on Friday against the Durban Super Giants.

If Archer survives his two matches unscathed, he will be hoping to play for England in the three-match series against the Proteas, which begins on January 27 in Bloemfontein.

Pacer Jofra Archer returned to England’s national side as a 14-player squad for the three-match ODI series against South Africa starting in January was named in December last year.

Archer returns to an England squad for the first time since March 2021. He is recovering well from an elbow injury and is expected to return to international cricket in South Africa next month.

The SA20 League will take place in six iconic locations in South Africa – Pretoria, Johannesburg, Durban, Gqeberha, Cape Town and Paarl – with the final set for the Wanderers in Johannesburg on February 11.