Ben Stokes announces retirement from ODIs, will continue playing T20Is and Test Cricket

“I will play my last game for #England in ODI cricket tomorrow in Durham. I have decided to retire from this format,” Ben Stokes tweeted.

Stokes, the left-handed batter and right-arm medium pacer, played a crucial role in England’s maiden Cricket World Cup triumph in 2019. The New Zealand born cricketer was the player of the match in the nail-biting final against New Zealand three years back as England scripted history at the Lord’s.

Stokes – who averages just under 40 with the bat and scored at a strike rate of 95.26 – has played 104 ODI matches since making his debut against Ireland in 2011. The 31-year-old cricketer has also taken 74 ODI wickets. Since the 2019 WC final, the southpaw has featured in just nine ODIs. Stokes has scored 2919 runs, including three centuries, and taken 74 wickets in the format.

The highlight remains his match-winning effort in the final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, when his unbeaten 84* helped send the match in the Super Over, which England clinched.

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— Ben Stokes (@benstokes38) July 18, 2022

The cricketer will however continue playing T20 and Test cricket.

In his retirement statement, Stokes said, “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. 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 from anyone who wears it.”

“Three formats are just unsustainable for me now. Not only do I feel that my body is letting me down because of the schedule and what is expected of us, but I also feel that I am taking the place of another player who can give Jos and the rest of the team their all. It’s time for someone else to progress as a cricketer and make incredible memories like I have over the past 11 years.

“I will give everything I have to Test cricket, and now, with this decision, I feel I can also give my total commitment to the T20 format.

“I would like to wish Jos Buttler, Matthew Mott, the players and the support staff every success going forward. We have made great strides in white-ball cricket over the past seven years, and the future looks bright.

“I have loved all 104 games I have played so far, I’ve got one more, and it feels amazing to be playing my last game at my home ground in Durham.

“As always, the England fans have always been there for me and will continue to be there. You’re the best fans in the world. I hope we can win on Tuesday and set the series up nicely against South Africa.”

“Rob Key, managing director of England men’s cricket, said of the announcement: “Ben Stokes has had an incredible international career in ODI cricket, culminating in his match-winning performance at the 2019 ICC men’s Cricket World Cup final. I know this must have been a tough decision, but I completely understand why he has reached this conclusion. I’m sure that when we look back on Ben’s career and see this as one of the reasons he will play 120-plus Tests and help England in T20 matches and World Cups for many years to come. It is a typically selfless decision that will benefit England long-term.”

Earlier this year, Stokes was appointed England’s red-ball captain and with that the team’s fortunes in Test cricket have also changed. England have won four back-to-back Tests under his leadership.