Stokes retires: Five reasons why fans will miss Big Ben in ODIs even more

One of England’s greatest all-rounders, Ben Stokes, announced on Monday, July 18, 2022, that he would no longer be playing ODI cricket. It was a shocker for all who have watched Stokes grow in the cricketing world. Of all formats, ODIs played the biggest role in his growth and making him what he is today.

But Stokes’ decision to move on and focus on the two extremes of cricket, i.e. Test and T20Is, also highlights the growing negligence of the 50-over format among both fans and cricketers alike. It is neither as gruesome and challenging as Test cricket nor as short, fun and entertaining as T20Is. The departure of a player of Stokes’stature from ODIs is like the beginning of a storm, and many more are likely to follow suit.

Now that he has made his decision, it is all the more important that Stokes’ finest work in the 50-over format is relived. Here’s a list of his five best moments from ODI cricket. His last ODI will be at his home ground of Chester-Lee-Street in Durham against South Africa on Tuesday, July 19, 2022.

1. An all-round masterclass against Australia in Perth

Since making his debut in 2011, Stokes had played only 13 ODIs in three years before he finally came out rocking on the big stage in Perth in 2014. The all-rounder was promoted to number three and hit an 84 ball 70 with six fours and a six to his credit. Thanks to his knock and Jos Buttler’s (43 ball 71), England scored 316/8 in their 50 overs.

Stokes then wreaked havoc with the ball too and got the big wickets of opposition skipper George Bailey and dangermen Glenn Maxwell and James Faulkner to go with that of Mitchell Johnson. His four wickets and 70 runs bagged him the much-deserving player of the match award.

2. Stokes’ first ever ODI century

Stokes hit his first ever ODI century against Bangladesh, a team that had sent England packing home from the 2015 World Cup. This century came just a year later, in 2016. In this innings, the left-handed batter hit eight fours and four sixes after coming to bat at number five.

3. The all-round show against India at Eden Gardens

If Stokes chose a match to shine in England’s India tour, it had to be in front of a packed Eden Gardens. The all-rounder bowled a gem of a spell in which he took three wickets. Most importantly, he got rid of Ravichandran Ashwin in the 48th over and gave away only our runs when India needed 26 from the last three overs.

With the bat, the then 26-year-old had scored a quickfire 57* off just 39 balls to take England to 321 in the first innings.

4. The brilliant catch of Andile Phehelukwayo vs South Africa in the World Cup

If one thing that people will forever remember about Stokes other than his World Cup-winning innings is the one-handed ripper, he got hold of in a World Cup game against South Africa. Along with the catch, Nasser Hussain’s voice in the comm box, “You can not do that, Ben Stokes”, is also etched in fans’ memories. The catch came in the same game where he scored a brilliant 89 and got two wickets in just 2.5 overs to be named player of the match.

The catch was a treat to the eyes as he pulled his hand in the air at the deep mid-wicket boundary, and the ball got stuck in his left hand above his head as he rolled over with it.

Have you EVER seen a better catch?

Ben Stokes with a grab that has to be seen to be believed!#WeAreEngland #CWC19 pic.twitter.com/rpN04OxVTk

— ICC (@ICC) May 30, 2019

5. The unbleibevlabe ICC World Cup 2019 finale

If there ever is a World Cup final worthy of being called a finale, it would have to do a lot to beat the 2019 World Cup final, and Stokes is one of the greatest reasons behind it. New Zealand scored a mediocre 241/8 and then bowled brilliantly to get England down to 4-86 before Stokes partnered with Buttler for a brilliant 110-run stand.

But then came the twist and Lockie Ferguson removed Buttler and Chris Woakes quickly to put the life back in the game. Stokes carried on and dragged the match to the final alongside the tail. With 15 needed off the last over, he got lucky, and an overthrow in which the ball hit his bat and flew away to a boundary unintentionally pushed the match to the super over.

Surprising!

Ben Stokes decides to retire from ODI cricket!

Here’s Stokes’ special knock of 84* from 2019 ICC World Cup final at Lords…

Pure entertainer…#BenStokes #ODIs #Breakingpic.twitter.com/qksurOfeoN

— OneCricket (@OneCricketApp) July 18, 2022

In the Super Over, Stokes hit only seven runs, but what he did before that is all that mattered, and his knock of 84 runs in the finale is now a tale of legends and might become folklore some day too, as that helped England lift it’s maiden ODI World Cup.