England T20 stars out of BBL finals

A host of KFC BBL clubs could be left scrambling to find replacement players for finals after England announced their T20I squad to tour the West Indies in late January.

With an English-heavy contingent of international signings in BBL|11, the squad reveal is bad news for teams in finals contention with the Caribbean tour to begin on January 22, the day after the first Eliminator final gets underway.

But with the England team required to assemble in the UK on January 15 for a flight to Barbados for the five-game series, it's expected the players selected will also miss at least their club's final two games of the regular season as well.

With the fifth Ashes Test also set to finish in Hobart just four days before the first T20, no England player currently attempting to regain the urn in Australia was considered for selection.

England's 16-player T20I squad includes Sam Billings and Saqib Mahmood (Sydney Thunder), George Garton (Adelaide Strikers), Chris Jordan (who has already returned home) and James Vince (Sydney Sixers), Tymal Mills (Perth Scorchers) and Reece Topley (Melbourne Renegades).

English signings Tom Abell and Ben Duckett (Brisbane Heat), Harry Brook and Jordan Thompson (Hobart Hurricanes), Joe Clark (Melbourne Stars), Laurie Evans (Perth Scorchers) and Alex Hales (Sydney Thunder) weren't selected in the squad and will be able to remain with their BBL clubs for the remainder of the season.

Garton, who is yet to play for England in any format, will be in line to make his debut for his country and will hope to rebound from his three overs last night against the Heat that cost him 48 runs.

The announcement comes as a huge blow for the Thunder who lose both Billings and Mahmood who have been in sparkling form so far this summer.

Billings hit a blistering 64 at the Gabba to go with his other scores of 43 and 44 not out, while 24-year-old speedster Mahmood nabbed 4-22 in a stunning debut against the Heat on Sunday.

Vince has also established himself as the formidable opening partner of Josh Philippe during the Sixers' back-to-back BBL titles, who could look to NSW opener Daniel Hughes as a ready-made replacement.

The Scorchers’ bowling depth should hold them in good stead to cover Mills, while the Renegades will need to find another bowler to use in the surge once Topley departs – however, that shouldn't be too much of an issue with the likes of Kane Richardson, James Pattinson and Mohammad Nabi on their list.

England will play the West Indies in five T20Is – all to be played at Kensington Oval in Barbados – from January 22-30.

The squad includes 11 players from the T20 World Cup squad that lost to New Zealand in the semi-final last month.

Stand-in head coach Paul Collingwood said the tour would be used as the start of their preparation for the next T20 World Cup hosted by Australia in October and November next year.

"The World Cup is less than a year away and there will be increased opportunities for the squad in the absence of those players who are with the Ashes squad," he said.