England have bolstered their limited-overs contingents for the upcoming home series against Sri Lanka by adding two uncapped players: Derbyshire’s explosive batsman Aneurin Donald and Sussex’s promising seam bowler Henry Crocombe. Both athletes have earned their places through standout performances in domestic competitions, and their inclusion adds fresh talent to a squad already packed with experience.
Donald arrived on the selectors' radar after a prolific summer in the Vitality Blast, where he amassed 489 runs in 12 matches, notching four half‑centuries and topping the six‑hitting chart with 37 sixes. His power hitting was further highlighted during his stint with the Trent Rockets in The Hundred, where he continued to display an aggressive approach suited to the fast‑paced demands of T20 cricket.
The Wales‑born left‑hander also recorded a joint‑fastest fifty in the Blast, reaching 50 runs off just 13 deliveries for Derbyshire against Yorkshire in 2025, underscoring his capacity to dominate bowlers in a matter of balls. Donald joins a 16‑man T20 squad that will miss opening batsman Phil Salt, who is sidelined with a quadriceps injury. On the bowling side, Henry Crocombe has been rewarded for a string of impressive displays in the County Championship, including back‑to‑back hat‑tricks in his most recent matches.
The 24‑year‑old has taken 49 wickets in 36 domestic 50‑over games and claimed 34 wickets in 35 T20 fixtures, pushing his total first‑class wicket tally past the 100‑mark. His recent first‑class hat‑tricks came against Somerset and Essex, with one of the dismissals being the brother of England all‑rounder Jamie Overton. Crocombe’s domestic form earned him a spot in a 16‑man ODI squad, where he will partner with established seamers and spin options.
England men’s selector Marcus North praised the two newcomers, stating, “Aneurin Donald and Henry Crocombe have earned their places through outstanding domestic performances. Donald’s explosive season in the Vitality Blast and his contributions for the Trent Rockets have been exceptional, while Henry has been on our radar all summer for his consistent wicket‑taking ability.” The selections come amid a period of injury turmoil for England. Fast bowler Brydon Carse remains under investigation by the Cricket Regulator after an incident outside a Derby nightclub in August and has been omitted from both the T20 and ODI squads. He was already withdrawn from recent Test squads for the Pakistan series.
All‑rounder Sam Curran is out with a groin strain, and promising youngster Jacob Bethell is sidelined with a knee injury; Bethell underwent successful surgery this week and is targeting a return on the white‑ball tour of Australia in November. Jamie Overton, another all‑rounder, is back after missing the July home series against India due to a quadriceps issue sustained in the IPL.
Batsmen Jordan Cox and Ben Duckett have been retained in both squads, providing stability at the top of the order. The T20 leg of the Sri Lanka tour kicks off in Southampton on 15 September, two days after the final Test against Pakistan concludes at Edgbaston.
The series will continue with matches in Cardiff on 17 September and at Old Trafford on 19 September. The ODIs, which represent England’s last home white‑ball commitments of the summer, will be staged at Durham (22 September), Headingley (24 September) and The Oval (27 September). Crocombe was initially added to England’s Test party for the New Zealand series in June as cover for Sussex teammate Ollie Robinson, who suffered a knee niggle, but he did not feature in the playing XI.
He is set to join Surrey from the 2027 season, further enhancing his profile in the domestic circuit. Another uncapped Sussex player, spin‑bowling all‑rounder James Coles, retains his place in both the ODI and T20 squads after earning his first call‑up for the India series earlier in the year. Donald, meanwhile, has recorded 18 domestic fifties in the T20 format across 106 innings, with a personal best of 91 runs.
White‑ball head coach Brendon McCullum, now focused solely on limited‑overs cricket after being relieved of Test duties following the 2‑1 series loss to New Zealand, will have the option of resting Test captain Joe Root for the ODIs, but England have chosen to keep him in the side. Before facing Sri Lanka, England aim to complete a 3‑0 Test sweep of Pakistan in Birmingham from 9 September, a series that has already produced dominant victories at Headingley and Lord’s. Following the Sri Lanka white‑ball series, England will travel to Pakistan in October for an ODI tri‑series that also includes Sri Lanka, before heading to Australia in November for a three‑match ODI series and a five‑match T20 series. Looking further ahead, England will embark on a three‑Test tour of South Africa over the Christmas period – Stephen Fleming’s first assignment as England’s red‑ball coach after succeeding McCullum – followed by three ODIs against the Proteas in January.
The next 50‑over World Cup is scheduled for 2027 in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, with the subsequent T20 World Cup set for 2028 in Australia and New Zealand. England’s current T20 squad features: Harry Brook (Yorkshire – captain), Jofra Archer (Sussex), Gus Atkinson (Surrey), Sonny Baker (Hampshire), Tom Banton (Somerset), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), James Coles (Sussex), Jordan Cox (Essex), Liam Dawson (Hampshire), Aneurin Donald (Derbyshire), Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire), Will Jacks (Surrey), Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire), Jamie Overton (Surrey), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire) and Josh Tongue (Nottinghamshire).
The ODI squad includes the same core plus Rehan Ahmed (Leicestershire) and Joe Root (Yorkshire), with Henry Crocombe replacing Donald in the batting‑heavy line‑up. Sri Lanka have been forced to make changes due to injuries.
White‑ball captain Kusal Mendis (hamstring) and left‑arm pacer Binura Fernando (back) are ruled out of the T20 series, with Pavan Rathnayake and Dilshan Madushanka named as their replacements. Charith Asalanka will take over the captaincy for the T20Is, while Mendis remains listed in the ODI squad. All matches will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, with times listed in UK and Ireland.
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