England Test captain Ben Stokes has stated his decision to withdraw from the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced this biggest news on Tuesday, April 2nd.
Currently, Stokes is mainly focused on regaining full bowling fitness. Not only for the upcoming summer, which includes two three-match Test series against West Indies and Sri Lanka respectively. But he withdraws from all cricket in the future.
Ben Stokes Says No to T20 World Cup After IPL 2024 Withdrawal
Back in November, the 32-year-old chose to step away from the ongoing Indian Premier League T20 tournament, representing the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), to manage his workload and ensure his fitness remains intact.
Explaining his choice, Stokes stated, “I’m working hard and focusing on building my bowling fitness back up to fulfil a full role as an all-rounder in all formats of cricket.
“Opting out of the IPL and the World Cup will hopefully be a sacrifice that allows me to be the all-rounder I want to be for the foreseeable future.
“The recent Test tour of India highlighted how far behind I was from a bowling point of view after my knee surgery and nine months without bowling. I’m looking forward to playing for Durham in the County Championship before the start of our Test summer.
“I wish Jos (Buttler), Motty (Matthew Mott), and all the team the best of luck in defending our title.”
Recap of ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023
Ben Stokes made a significant comeback to England’s squad for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, reversing his ODI retirement to participate in the grand event.
However, during the tournament, Stokes struggled with knee problems. That restricted his involvement to just six out of England’s nine matches, primarily as a specialist batter.
Following the World Cup, Stokes underwent knee surgery and made his comeback during England’s five-match Test series against India earlier this year.
Also Read: Shaheen Afridi Breaks Silence After Losing Pakistan Captaincy
Despite his limited bowling capacity, Stokes made a notable return during the final Test, claiming the wicket of Rohit Sharma with a brilliant delivery.
England holds the defending champion title for the upcoming T20 World Cup, having emerged victorious in the previous edition in 2022 in Australia.
Stokes famously sealed the win in the final against Pakistan, with his composed innings of 52* off 49 balls leading England to victory.
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Zartash Zulfiqar is a passionate cricket writer with a love for cricket that shines through in every word. From match analyses to player profiles, she delivers insightful commentary that resonates with fans worldwide. Stay tuned for the latest from the world of cricket, brought to you by Zartash.
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