England all-rounder Ben Stokes on Monday announced that he will be retiring from ODI cricket and will be playing his last 50-over format game on Tuesday against South Africa in Durham. Stokes announcement comes as a surprise. The all-rounder made the announcement on his Twitter account, posting a lengthy statement.
“I will play my last game for England in ODI cricket on Tuesday in Durham. I have decided to retire from this format. This has been an incredibly tough decision to make. I have loved every minute of playing with my mates for England. We have had an incredible journey on the way,” Stokes said in an official statement.
“As hard as a decision as this was to come to, it’s not as hard dealing with the fact I can’t give my teammates 100% of myself in this format anymore. The England shirt deserves nothing less than from anyone who wears it,” he added.
— Ben Stokes (@benstokes38) July 18, 2022
Stokes has so far played 104 ODIs for England, scoring 2,919 runs at an average of 39.44. The all-rounder had starred in the finals of 2019 World Cup as he played an unbeaten knock of 84 against New Zealand in the summit clash. Stokes was adjudged as Player of the Match.
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The high-pressure matches have always brought out the best in Stokes, and he is currently the captain of England Test side. Under his leadership, England defeated New Zealand 3-0 in Test series and then the Three Lions defeated India in the Edgbaston Test.
Earlier this month, 2019 World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan had also announced his retirement from international cricket.
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