England are confident Jofra Archer will be fully fit and firing for the start of next month’s T20 World Cup after naming him in their provisional squad for the tournament in the West Indies and United States.

The 29-year-old has suffered a succession of serious injuries since playing his last global tournament five years ago – when he bowled England to victory in the decisive Super Over in the final of the 50-over World Cup against New Zealand at Lord’s.

One of the best T20 bowlers in the world who is capable of operating at every phase of an innings, Archer’s inclusion in the squad is a huge boost to under-pressure coach Matthew Mott.

And despite not playing competitive cricket for a year and last appearing for his country on the white-ball tour of Bangladesh 14 months ago, England director of cricket Rob Key is confident Archer will be on the plane to the Caribbean on 31 May.

“Jofra’s that bowler that’s just so special you do everything you can to try to get him back playing,” he said.

“But as always with Jofra it’s fingers crossed until he’s out there playing. You’re waiting for something really good to happen – you don’t quite believe it until he’s there. But he’s tracking well at the moment. We’re doing everything we can, and he’s in a good spot.”

A succession of injuries, including a chronic issue with his right elbow that has required multiple operations, has stymied Archer’s career since he burst onto the international career in the summer of 2019.

Yet after returning to action with Sussex in pre-season and playing club cricket in Barbados in recent weeks, he will make his England comeback in the four-match T20 series against Pakistan that starts on 22 May.

“We’re more than hopeful he’ll be playing that series,” Key said. “We’re hopeful and confident he’s going to be right.”

Archer is due back from Barbados, his birthplace, and where England will play their opening World Cup match on 4 June against Scotland on Monday. He is then expected to play part of Sussex’s second XI red-ball match against Kent that starts on 14 May before heading into the first T20 against Pakistan at Headingley the following week.

Having spoken last month about his litany of injuries over the past five years, Archer admitted: “I don’t know if I’ve got another stop-start year in me.”

Key added: “Mentally it’s been tough. That’s why we try to get him right. Let him go home and spend time in Barbados and doing the training there rather than just spending time in England.

“It’s always been a balance with Jofra where you’re trying to take into account his mental well-being and actually how we get him ready for what we need. I’ve always been aware of that and the toll it’s taken on him. Fingers crossed he gets the bit of luck he deserves.”

England provisional Men’s T20 World Cup squad

• Jos Buttler (captain)
• Moeen Ali
• Jofra Archer
• Jonny Bairstow
• Harry Brook
• Sam Curran
• Ben Duckett
• Tom Hartley
• Will Jacks
• Chris Jordan
• Liam Livingstone
• Adil Rashid
• Phil Salt
• Reece Topley
• Mark Wood

There were few surprises in England’s 15-man squad that included 10 players who helped them win the last T20 World Cup in Australia two years ago.

But Chris Woakes, part of that victorious group Down Under, missed out, with big-hitting all-rounder Chris Jordan, a close friend of Archer and fellow Bajan, recalled.

Tom Hartley saw off Rehan Ahmed to take the one spot put aside for spin-bowling cover.

Ben Duckett is the spare batter in a group that contains three players in captain Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow and Will Jacks who have all hit Indian Premier League centuries in recent weeks.

England, who have until 25 May to make any changes to this provisional squad, have confirmed all their players at the IPL will return home in time for the start of the Pakistan series.