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Fans React As Ben Stokes Walked Out To Play ODI Match For Last Time

Jatin KhandelwalBy Updated:No Comments4 Mins Read

Ben Stokes, 31, was given the opportunity to march the England side into the ground at the start of Tuesday’s ODI against South Africa, which is his last ODI match for England, played at his home ground in Chester-le-Street in Durham.

On Monday, Stokes had made a sudden and shocking announcement that he will retire after the first ODI versus the Proteas. The England’s Test captain said that playing all three formats was “just unsustainable for me now” in the hectic schedule and that his body couldn’t give his 100 percent to the 50-over format; he admitted that it was an “incredibly tough decision to make”.

Ben Stokes takes field in his last ODI match

“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,” Stokes said in his statement on his social media.

“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.”

The Player of the Match in the memorable 2019 World Cup final triumph, Stokes led the England side into the ground after South African skipper Keshav Maharaj had won the toss and elected to field first.

Before the start of the game, Stokes was the first England player to take the field and received a standing ovation from his home crowd. As Stokes soaked in the applause, after him the rest of his teammates scampered in and gave a handshake to England’s talisman all-rounder.

You can watch the video here:

Social media also went emotional and paid tributes to Ben Stokes on his last ODI game.

Here are some of the reactions:

Also Read: Rishabh Pant Got Trolled By His Girlfriend After He Shared His ‘Munna Bhaiyaa’ Avatar

Jatin Khandelwal is a prominent cricket writer known for his insightful analysis, in-depth research, and engaging writing style. He has an experience of more than 5 years in cricket writing. Jatin has worked with some of the top cricket websites in India and he has been heading The Cricket Lounge's editorial wing from past one and a half years.

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