England at T20 World Cup: Is all-rounder Sam Curran making an irresistible case to be in the XI?

Sam Curran's death bowling has proved pivotal for England against Australia, with left-armer boosting his chances of making the first XI at the T20 World Cup; could he play instead of Chris Jordan? Liam Livingstone? Ben Stokes? England have decisions to make...

By David Ruse

Image: Sam Curran has starred for England in the death overs as he pushes for a spot in their T20 World Cup XI

There are a number of cast-iron guarantees when it comes to England's first-choice T20 World Cup XI, with skipper Jos Buttler, pace ace Mark Wood and leg-spinner Adil Rashid among them.

Sam Curran is not in that category but he is making a tremendous case to be involved when Buttler's boys begin their World Cup campaign against Afghanistan in Perth on October 22.

Death bowling has cost England in the previous two editions of the tournament.

It cost them the trophy in India in 2016 as Carlos Brathwaite smoked Ben Stokes for four consecutive sixes in the last over.

It then cost them a spot in the final last year in the UAE as New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell and Jimmy Neesham pumped Rashid, Chris Jordan and Chris Woakes for boundaries to take the Black Caps to a target of 167 with six balls to spare when they had needed 57 from 24 deliveries.

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Image: Curran's bowling has helped England to successive eight-run wins over Australia in the T20I series

Curran delivers at the death for England

Back-end bowling has proved England's Kryptonite, then, but not for Curran in the last two T20 internationals against Australia. Handed death bowling duties, he has delivered, lifting his side to successive eight-run victories and a series win with a game to spare.

Curran successfully defended 16 in the final over of Sunday's opening fixture in Perth, recovering from being walloped for a first-ball four by Matthew Wade by conceding only three runs and claiming two wickets during the subsequent five deliveries.

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Then, in game two in Canberra on Wednesday, Curran severely dented Australia's hopes by bowling the hard-hitting Tim David in a three-run 18th over, before ending them when he defended 22 from the final over.

Once again, pressure was put on by a first-ball boundary - Pat Cummins blazing the left-armer for six over the leg-side. Once again, Curran rebounded - limiting Cummins and Wade to ones and twos as England took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Buttler said of Curran: "He's one of these bowlers who wants to be in the thick of it in those big moments. We needed to get David out to win the game, and Sam did that for us."

Curran for Jordan?

Curran did not make either Nasser Hussain's or Mark Butcher's sides when the Sky Sports Cricket experts were charged with selecting their England World Cup XIs a little over a week ago - but the pundits could be having second thoughts now.

Image: Chris Jordan registered figures of 0-39 from three overs in the second T20I in Canberra

All of a sudden, Jordan looks vulnerable. He has been one of England's T20 death bowlers for years and bounced back well during the home summer after his T20 World Cup nightmare against New Zealand last November when his 17th over in Abu Dhabi went for 23 - two sixes, a four and two wides among the game-changing damage.

But his three overs against Australia in Canberra - in what was his first outing since overcoming a finger injury sustained in The Hundred - were plundered for 39 runs, with his death over, the 17th, taken for 14 as the destructive David followed a four with a six.

Curran's late shows have helped England win games, yet he is also a new-ball option if the ball is swinging and adept in the middle overs with cutters and bouncers, too. In Canberra, he removed Australia's Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis between overs eight and 12.

If you add in Curran's batting ability, then there are a number of places the all-rounder could slot into the England XI, not just instead of Jordan. Say it quietly, but perhaps even in place of Ben Stokes, with the Test captain yet to find his best form since landing in Australia.

Curran for Stokes?

A scratchy run-a-ball nine in Perth was followed by an 11-ball seven in Canberra for a player who has now played 30 innings in T20 internationals with a top-score of 47 and an average of 19 and who has played the short format so little in recent times.

Image: Could England leave Ben Stokes out of their XI at the World Cup

Pushing Stokes up the order - he featured at No 3 in the first game against Australia and No 4 in the second - was seen as a way to unlock his abilities but that has not borne fruit so far and it's not like England are short of options. Moeen Ali, Harry Brook and Liam Livingstone (if fit) could also shunt up spots, behind the top three of Buttler, Alex Hales and Dawid Malan, leaving Curran to come in at No 7.

It's one way England could go but probably not the way they will go with Stokes - whose class, composure and clarity of thought helped win England the 50-over World Cup in 2019 - set to at least start the tournament.

Speaking on the latest Sky Sports Cricket Podcast, CricViz's Freddie Wilde acknowledged Stokes' big-game experience and temperament, saying: "I think England will start with Stokes for those reasons, while I also think he is suited to Australian conditions with the pace and bounce.

"But if he has a few quiet games and Curran is on the bench - which he could be - that debate will gather some momentum.

"It is a tough call because Stokes has hardly played any T20 cricket in the last 18 months whereas Curran has played around the world and done fantastically well. It's a live debate."

Curran for Livingstone?

There remains a strong possibility that Stokes and Curran could be in England's XI against Afghanistan, particularly with Livingstone still facing a fight to be fit for that match as he recovers from an ankle injury.

Image: Liam Livingstone is facing a race to be fit for England's T20 World Cup opener against Afghanistan on October 22

The Lancashire man is targeting Monday's final warm-up game, against Pakistan in Brisbane, as his comeback fixture but there is no guarantee he will be ready for that clash or the World Cup opener five days later. If Livingstone is not fit, it is hard to envisage Curran not playing.

And if Curran performs in Friday's final T20I against reigning World Cup champions Australia in the way he has done in the first two, then it will become increasingly difficult to see how England can leave him out when the main event comes around.

Our live blog of England's third T20 international against Australia, in Canberra, will get under way at 8.45am on Friday ahead of a 9.10am start.

Watch the T20 World Cup live on Sky Sports from Sunday, October 16. England's first game is against Afghanistan on Saturday, October 22, with build-up starting at 11.30am ahead of a midday start.

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