England have rejected calls to boycott the fixture in protest at the deterioration of women’s rights in Afghanistan, with Buttler thanking the England and Wales Cricket Board for taking the decision out of the players’ hands.
England (confirmed) Phil Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith (wk), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (capt), Liam Livingstone, Jamie Overton, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood.
Jos Buttler goes into Wednesday’s crunch encounter with Afghanistan in Lahore knowing a win is not simply a non-negotiable as regards England’s Champions Trophy prospects but potentially his future as their white-ball captain.
After last year’s failed defence of England’s T20 crown – a second abdication in six months after a poor 50-over World Cup – Buttler openly admitted he feared being sacked by Rob Key.
I think any time as an England captain, you want to perform, you want to perform well and you want to lead your team to winning games of cricket.
