Root sidelined for six weeks

Following news that England batsman Joe Root will miss the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh with a broken thumb, the 23-year-old batsman has posted an X-ray image of the damaged digit on Facebook, with the news that he will be out of action for six weeks. 

Root broke his thumb batting against the West Indies in last week's one-day international in Antigua and England officials have decided he will not recover in time for the World Twenty20, which starts on Sunday.

Ian Bell, who replaced Root in the Caribbean, has now been granted approval by the ICC to be included in the England squad.

Bell has represented England in seven Twenty20 internationals, in which he has scored 175 runs at an average of just under 30.

England's opening World Twenty20 group match is against New Zealand on March 20.

Before then they conclude a three-match series against reigning World Twenty20 champions the West Indies in Barbados with fixtures on Tuesday and Thursday.

England lost the first match of the series, also at Barbados' Kensington Oval, by 27 runs on Sunday.

Stuart Broad, England's Twenty20 captain, will miss the remainder of the West Indies series after suffering a knee injury but the fast bowling all-rounder says he expects to be fully recovered in time for Bangladesh.