London. England has suffered another big blow after the team’s crushing defeat in the ICC ODI World Cup played in India. Team’s star player Ben Stokes has withdrawn from the upcoming T20 World Cup saying this. This ‘sacrifice’ will help him focus on gaining fitness to bowl at full strength. He will be able to become the all-rounder he wants to become in the near future.
England’s Test captain Stokes has informed the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) about his decision two months before the start of this top competition in America and West Indies. In a statement issued by the ECB, Stokes said, “I am working hard and my focus is on gaining bowling fitness so that I can play the role of all-rounder in all formats of cricket.” “Staying out of the IPL and the World Cup will hopefully be the sacrifice that will help me become the all-rounder I want to be in the near future.”
Stokes was the captain of England on the Test tour of India where his team suffered a 1-4 defeat. He said that during this tour he felt that he was not completely prepared for bowling. “The recent Test tour of India showed how far behind I was from a bowling perspective after knee surgery and nine months without bowling,” Stokes said.
“I am looking forward to playing for Durham in the County Championship before the start of our summer Test season,” he said. I wish Jos (Buttler), Motty (Matthew Mott) and the entire team all the best to defend their title.
England, which won the previous T20 World Cup tournament in Australia in the year 2022, will defend the title in the Caribbean. In the last T20 World Cup final, Stokes scored the winning run in the five-wicket win over Pakistan at the MCG.
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Tags: ben stokes, T20 World Cup
FIRST PUBLISHED: April 2, 2024, 17:08 IST