Ben Stokes rules himself out of T20 World Cup for England (1 Viewer)

[MartinGee]

England all-rounder Ben Stokes has decided to withdraw himself from consideration for the T20 World Cup later this year. Stokes played a crucial role in England's victory in the 2022 edition, contributing a significant knock of 52 runs in the final against Pakistan.

However, Stokes, now 32 years old, has chosen to step away from the shortest format of the game due to fitness concerns. The physical limitations he faced during previous matches have led him to prioritize his fitness and performance in Test cricket.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1775085399146131720

Stokes emphasized the importance of managing his workload to maintain his effectiveness as an all-rounder in Test matches. He said;

"Opting out of the IPL and the World Cup will hopefully be a sacrifice that allows me to be the all-rounder I want to be for the foreseeable future.

"The recent Test tour of India highlighted how far behind I was from a bowling point of view after my knee surgery and nine months without bowling.

"I'm looking forward to playing for Durham in the County Championship before the start of our Test summer."