ODI World Cup 2023 ASHES 2023

'Main format se hi sanyaas le liya' - Fans react as Ben Stokes confirms not coming out of retirement to play 2023 ODI World Cup

The English Test captain Ben Stokes is sure about not returning from retirement to play for England in the 2023 ODI World Cup.

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Ben Stokes

Ben Stokes (Source: Twitter)

Ben Stokes Ben Stokes (Source: Twitter)

Ben Stokes is one of the best all-rounders in cricket today. For a long time, Stokes was the best All-rounder in the One Day Internationals. The English great decided to retire from the format in 2022. In July 2022, Stokes played his final ODI against India and announced his retirement as playing all three formats was difficult for him.  

It is common for players to take retirement and make a U-turn. Many players like Shahid Afridi, Moeen Ali, Kevin Pietersen, Bhanuka Rajapaksha, Carl Hooper, and many others in the past have done it. With the big tournament like the 2023 ODI World Cup approaching fast, the question is if Stokes would come back from retirement.  

When asked the same in the pre-match conference of the fifth Ashes Test, Stokes confirmed that he is retired and would not make a comeback in the format, neither for the 2023 ODI World Cup nor later. The English Test captain seemed sure about his reply. Fans who had hopes of his comeback in the side were disappointed about Stokes’ reply.  

Contributions for England in ODIs

The Southpaw played 105 ODI matches for England and scored 2924 runs in the format at an average of 38.99, at a strike rate of 95.09, including 3 hundred and 21 fifty. The 32-year-old also claimed 74 wickets as a bowler and 49 catches as a fielder in the format. The middle-order batter is known for his performances in the 2019 ODI World Cup which England won at home.  

In 11 matches in the 2019 ODI World Cup, Stokes scored 465 runs at an excellent batting average of 66.43, at a very good batting strike rate of 93.19, including 5 fifty. The All-rounder claimed 3 catches as a fielder and 7 wickets as a bowler. To date, Stokes is remembered for his gutsy knock in the finals against New Zealand. At the home of cricket, Stokes scored an unbeaten 84 runs in 98 deliveries and helped England to stay alive in the match, as they later won the match due to the boundary count. 

Here's how the fans reacted to Stokes'confirmation -

ODI World Cup 2023 Ben Stokes Twitter Reactions