England Test Captain Ben Stokes Announces International Cricket Retirement

England Test Captain Announces Imminent Retirement

Ben Stokes, England’s test captain, has announced that he will retire from international cricket after the ongoing test match against New Zealand. The announcement was made during a team meeting at Trent Bridge on Sunday, prior to the start of play.

Stokes stated that his last two days as captain and representative of England would be spent playing in this match. He did not elaborate on the reasons for his decision, but mentioned that he had previously experienced similar situations with the team.

The announcement was made 15 minutes before the tea break, and Stokes picked up a wicket shortly after. The team responded with a standing ovation as they left the field at the end of the session.

Stokes has represented England in international cricket for 15 years, including a notable performance in the 2019 World Cup final against New Zealand. He also led the team to victory in the T20 World Cup in 2022.

The decision to retire comes during a series that was already marred by controversy, following an incident involving Stokes and teammate Gus Atkinson at a London nightclub. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had previously dropped Stokes from the second test amid an investigation into the incident, but he was later recalled for the third test.

The ECB has released a statement praising Stokes as “one of England’s greatest ever cricketers” and expressing their loss of a talented player.

Source: Al Jazeera