Archer ruled out of England-South Africa T20 series

England will be without Jofra Archer for the T20s with South Africa after he missed the last three matches of their Test series.

England bowler Jofra Archer

Jofra Archer has been ruled out of England's Twenty20 series with South Africa because of elbow soreness. The problem forced Archer to miss the final three Tests of the four-match series with the Proteas.

In his absence, England overturned a 1-0 deficit, winning in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg to clinch the series 3-1.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed on Wednesday that Archer had returned home to focus on regaining fitness, the decision likely made with an eye on the two-match Test series in Sri Lanka in March.

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Archer will be replaced in the squad by Saqib Mahmood, who - along with Olly Stone and Craig Overton - became one of the first recipients of a pace bowling development contract from the ECB on Wednesday.

The three-match T20I series starts on February 12 at Buffalo Park in East London. England will first contest a three-match ODI series, with the series opener taking place at Newlands on Tuesday.