I would drop anyone to bring Jofra Archer into the World Cup squad, says Andrew Flintoff

Barbados-born all-rounder Jofra Archer has divided opinions amongst many cricket experts in England whether he should be picked in the squad or not for the upcoming World Cup to be hosted in the United Kingdom. The England & Wales Cricket Board even rectified their rules to make sure Archer qualifies to play for the country, reducing the time for qualification from seven years to three years.

However, many players who have been named in the preliminary England squad have shown apprehension over him making it into the England squad given his position at the moment. However, former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff feels differently and has said that the ECB should drop anyone from the squad, but Archer must be picked for the ICC event.

You ask who I would get rid of? Anyone

Former England captain Flintoff admitted that he became Jofra Archer’s fan after seeing him bowl against Pakistan in the one-off T20 International. “I was watching him bowl the other day and I found it so frustrating that a bloke can bowl so fast with what looks like so little effort. You ask who I would get rid of? Anyone. I think he’s brilliant,” Flintoff was quoted as saying by Sportstar.

He mentioned that England has always dependent on a player born in foreign countries like Robin Smith (born in South Africa), Graeme Hick (born in Zimbabwe, then Rhodesia) and most recently, Kevin Pietersen (born in South Africa).

“I know there’s a thing about him qualifying but we’ve done that for a number of years. But watching the lad bowl. For someone to bowl that quick so easily, with so much control, all the tricks — slower balls, bouncers, yorkers — he’s got to be in hasn’t he?” Flintoff further added.

He also went on to say that the members of England’s current pace attack, who have expressed potential threat to team morale if Jofra Archer was picked, needed to raise their game instead of pointing fingers at an exceptional talent. England is yet to win a 50-over World Cup, having made the last of their three-finals appearance in the 1992 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, where Pakistan defeated them to win the trophy.

[interaction id=”5cd0119bbb6fb05b8e179eda”]

Get the latest Cricket News and updates from the World Cup 2019, Match Predictions, Fantasy Cricket Tips and lots more on CricTracker.com.