Hales was called up by England for the T20 World Cup after a three-year absence


England batsman Alex Hales will return to the national team after three years after the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) called him up in their squad for next month’s Twenty20 World Cup in Australia on Wednesday.

Hales last played for England in March 2019 after the 33-year-old was pulled from that year’s provisional 50-over World Cup squad after the Guardian newspaper reported he was serving a three-week ban for recreational drug use.

He joins the England T20 World Cup squad as a replacement for Jonny Bairstow, who has been ruled out of the tournament due to injury.

Former world champions England begin their World Cup campaign on October 22 in Perth against Afghanistan.