Ben Stokes Pulls Out Of T20 World Cup 2024 To Focus On Fitness

England Cricket received a blow on Tuesday as star all-rounder Ben Stokes declared himself unavailable for the upcoming 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Stokes, who played a pivotal role in England’s 2022 T20 World Cup triumph, will prioritize regaining full bowling fitness.

T20 World Cup ❌

Ben Stokes will play no part in this summer's tournament 🏆

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) April 2, 2024

Having returned from retirement to lead England’s ODI team in the World Cup held in India, Stokes had postponed knee surgery last year. However, England faced disappointment as they failed to progress beyond the group stage in the 2023 World Cup. Following the team’s exit from the tournament, Stokes underwent surgery in November.

Stokes, who chose to sit out the 2024 IPL season to prioritize his fitness, was the most expensive acquisition for the Chennai Super Kings in the previous season’s auction. Despite captaining England in the Test series against India preceding the IPL, Stokes has opted out of both the IPL and the T20 World Cup this year.

In a statement issued by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), Stokes clarified his decision, citing a focus on rebuilding his bowling fitness to perform as an all-rounder across all formats of cricket. He expressed hope that sacrificing participation in the IPL and the World Cup would enable him to fulfill his aspirations as an all-rounder in the foreseeable future.