LIAM Dawson is the surprise pick in England’s squad after the Three Lions named their 15-man selection for the World Twenty20 with head coach Trevor Bayliss never having watched him play.
Dawson, 25, played for the England Lions over the winter and is named in the squad with seamer Stuart Broad and all-rounder Chris Woakes missing out.
Steven Finn has been chosen despite currently suffering from a side strain with Eoin Morgan leading the side in India.
Bayliss said: “I haven’t actually seen him (Dawson) play a game. I went to one or two of the Lions practices and saw him in the nets.
“From a bowling point of view, he gets a bit on the ball and he looks as though he’s got something about him personality-wise. He can bat as well and he’ a good fielder apparently.”
Dawson is Hampshire left-arm spinner who has represented his country at U19 level.
He bowled just five overs in last year’s t20 Blast but has played 105 first-class matches, averaging 34.20 with the bat and taking 110 wickets.
Dawson said: “I wasn’t expecting it. I did pretty well for the Lions in the two months I was there with them in the UAE for 50-over cricket and also the t20 series.
“In the back of my mind, I thought potentially I might have a very small, outside chance, but thankfully I’ve been selected and I’m very excited about it.”
England squad for ICC World Twenty20: Eoin Morgan (captain), Moeen Ali, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Liam Dawson, Steven Finn, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, James Vince, David Willey
