England will be entering the upcoming Twenty20 World Cup without the presence of all-rounder Ben Stokes, as he is focused on regaining his bowling fitness. Stokes, England’s Test captain, expressed his dedication to building up his bowling fitness to be able to contribute fully as an all-rounder in all cricket formats. He mentioned that choosing to skip both the IPL and the World Cup is a sacrifice he is making in order to ensure he can fulfill the role he desires for the foreseeable future.
The English cricket board (ECB) announced that Stokes has opted out of selection for this year’s tournament. The ECB emphasized that Stokes’s main priority is to regain full fitness to bowl in the upcoming Test series against West Indies and Sri Lanka. Stokes last played a T20 international for England during the World Cup final in November 2022.
Following a surgery for a knee issue in November last year, Stokes struggled with bowling regularly, as seen during England’s series defeat to India recently. The 32-year-old acknowledged the effects of his surgery on his bowling capabilities and expressed excitement about representing Durham in the County Championship ahead of the Test summer.
England will be facing Pakistan in a four-match T20 series as part of their preparations for the World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in the West Indies and the United States in June. They have group matches against Scotland, Australia, Oman, and Namibia before moving on to the Super 8s and knockout stages.
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