LONDON: Jos Buttler has left the England squad ahead of Tuesday´s Twenty20 international against Pakistan to be with his wife, who is about to give birth to the couple´s third child.
The 33-year-old England captain struck a match-winning 84 as the hosts took a 1-0 lead in the rain-affected four-game series with a 23-run win in Birmingham on Saturday. But he is now set to miss Wednesday´s third T20 in Cardiff, with vice-captain Moeen Ali in line to lead England at Sophia Gardens instead.
Ben Duckett could be brought in to open in Buttler´s absence or England could promote Will Jacks from No 3 after he made 37 off 23 balls against Pakistan at Birmingham´s Edgbaston ground. Surrey all-rounder Jacks recently returned from a stint in the T20 Indian Premier League, where he made a dashing unbeaten hundred to lead Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a nine-wicket win over Gujarat Titans.