England’s Test captain, Ben Stokes, has announced his decision to opt out of the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup set to be held in the USA and West Indies in June. The England Cricket Board (ECB) made the announcement on Tuesday via an official statement.
According to the ECB statement, Stokes conveyed his decision, citing his priority to attain full fitness to bowl effectively in all formats of the game. Stokes, who primarily bowled only in the fifth and final Test match against India in Dharamsala, aims to regain his bowling fitness not only for the impending three-match Test series against West Indies and Sri Lanka but also for his future cricketing commitments.
“I’m working hard and focusing on building my bowling fitness back up to fulfill a full role as an all-rounder in all formats of cricket,” Stokes stated.
Stokes further elaborated on his decision, mentioning his determination to make sacrifices to ensure his longevity and effectiveness as an all-rounder in cricket. He highlighted the significant setback he faced in terms of bowling during the recent Test tour of India, following his knee surgery and a nine-month hiatus from bowling.
Expressing his anticipation to represent Durham in the County Championship ahead of the Test summer, Stokes extended his best wishes to his teammates, including Jos Buttler and Eoin Morgan, for the T20 World Cup campaign.
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