South Africa v England: Ben Stokes named in Twenty20 squad for white-ball tour
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Stokes averages 17.94 with the bat and has taken 14 wickets in 26 T20 internationals for England. His last T20I appearance was against South Africa in Centurion in February 2020
Ben Stokes has been named in England's Twenty20 squad for next month's white-ball tour of South Africa.
The all-rounder missed the second half of the international summer to be with his father, Ged, who has brain cancer.
England will play three Twenty20s and three one-day internationals from 27 November, all behind closed doors.
Stokes, seamer Jofra Archer and all-rounder Sam Curran are in the T20 squad but will be rested for the one-day series.
All three have been playing in the Indian Premier League which is taking place in the United Arab Emirates and will return home from South Africa after the T20 series.
"There are several players who play every format for England, we are just very mindful of the amount of cricket we've got coming," national selector Ed Smith said.
"We want them to be at their best when they're playing for England and that will mean taking some opportunities to rest from cricket."
England are scheduled to play Sri Lanka and India early in 2021 but neither tour has been confirmed.
Pakistan have also invited England to take part in a short limited-overs tour early next year.
'It's great to have Ben back'
Stokes returned to cricket with the Rajasthan Royals in October and averaged 40.71 in this season's IPL.
"Ben is an exceptional competitor; a winner and someone who gives to the team," Smith added.
Captain Eoin Morgan, who is also playing in the IPL with Kolkata Knight Riders, will lead England in both formats.
The team will travel to South Africa on 16 November, with games played at Cape Town's Newlands and in nearby Paarl.
They will be based in Cape Town and will train at Western Province Cricket Club, playing three intra-squad matches before the first T20.
The three ODI matches will count towards qualification, external for the 2023 World Cup in India.
Meanwhile, the England and Wales Cricket Board has announced it will invest £1m in grassroots cricket.
The #Funds4Runs campaign, jointly funded with LV=General Insurance, will help support cricket communities impacted by Covid-19.
Clubs can register their interest on the ECB website, external.
Squads
Twenty20 squad: Eoin Morgan (Middlesex) (captain), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Jofra Archer (Sussex), Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire), Sam Billings (Kent), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Sam Curran (Surrey), Tom Curran (Surrey), Chris Jordan (Sussex), Dawid Malan (Yorkshire), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Jason Roy (Surrey), Ben Stokes (Durham), Reece Topley (Surrey), Mark Wood (Durham).
One-day squad: Eoin Morgan (Middlesex) (captain), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire), Sam Billings (Kent), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Tom Curran (Surrey), Lewis Gregory (Somerset), Liam Livingstone (Lancashire), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Jason Roy (Surrey), Olly Stone (Warwickshire), Reece Topley (Surrey), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire), Mark Wood (Durham).
Reserves across both formats: Jake Ball (Nottinghamshire), Tom Banton (Somerset), Tom Helm (Middlesex).
South Africa tour schedule
Friday, 27 November - first T20, Newlands, Cape Town (16:00 GMT)
Sunday 29 November - second T20, Boland Park, Paarl (12:30 GMT)
Tuesday 1 December - third T20, Newlands, Cape Town (16:00 GMT)
Friday 4 December - first ODI, Newlands, Cape Town (11:00 GMT)
Sunday 6 December - second ODI, Boland Park, Paarl (08:00 GMT)
Wednesday 9 December - third ODI, Newlands, Cape Town (11:00 GMT)