England all-rounder Ben Stokes to retire from ODIs after Tuesday's match against SA

Jul 18, 2022

England all-rounder Ben Stokes to retire from ODIs after Tuesday's match against SA Image

Ben Stokes, an all-rounder for England, made the announcement on Monday that he will end his ODI career following the match on Tuesday against South Africa at his Durham home stadium, Riverside Ground. 

In 104 ODIs, including three centuries, Stokes has amassed 2919 runs, with 74 wickets, since making his ODI debut against Ireland in 2011. When first-choice players were unable to play because of the Covid-19 epidemic during last summer's 3-0 series win against Pakistan, he captained the ODI team.

"On Tuesday in Durham, I will play my final ODI cricket match for England. I've made the decision to stop using this format. Making this choice has been exceedingly difficult. I have enjoyed every second of playing for England with my friends. We have travelled a remarkable distance. 

"As difficult a decision as this was to make, dealing with the knowledge that I can't give my teammates my all in this format any more is not as difficult. Nobody who dons the England jersey should give it anything less, according to Stokes, who made the statement in an official England and Wales Cricket Board statement (ECB).

Stokes' Player-of-the-Match performance in the 2019 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup final at Lord's, where he blasted an unbeaten 84 to force a Super Over and lead England to their first ICC Men's Cricket World Cup victory on home soil, will be remembered.

Stokes gave two reasons for retiring from ODIs: the workload of playing three formats of international cricket, and allowing a young player to establish himself. "Three formats are simply no longer manageable for me. Because of the schedule and the demands placed upon us, I feel as though not only is my body failing me, but I am also depriving Jos and the rest of the squad of a player who can give their all."

"It's time for another cricketer to develop and create unforgettable memories, just like I have over the past 11 years. I will give Test cricket my all, and now that I've made this choice, I feel like I can also give the T20 format my all. I want to wish future success to Jos Buttler, Matthew Mott, the players, and the support staff. Over the past seven years, white-ball cricket has advanced significantly, and the future is promising."

"I've enjoyed every one of the 104 games I've played so far. I still have one left, and it feels incredible to be playing it at my home stadium in Durham. The England supporters have always supported me and will do so in the future. The world's best fans are you. I hope we can defeat South Africa on Tuesday and have a good early lead in the series "Stokes rounded out.