England’s star all-rounder, Ben Stokes, has surprised fans with his decision to withdraw from consideration for the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

Ben Stokes Opts Out of T20 World Cup 2024

Stokes made the announcement to prioritize his long-term fitness, stating his desire to fully regain his bowling prowess.

“I’m making a tough choice, but I know it’s the right one,” said Stokes. “My goal is to be the best all-rounder I can be across all formats, and that means getting my bowling fitness back to its peak.”

Stokes, England’s Test captain, revealed this decision will allow him to focus on the demanding summer Test series against the West Indies and Sri Lanka, as well as prepare for future challenges.

His absence will undoubtedly be felt by England, the defending T20 World Cup champions. The team will miss Stokes’s clutch contributions, as evidenced by his powerful performance in the 2022 final against Pakistan.

While Stokes’s recent knee surgery and a lengthy break from bowling impacted his performance during the Test tour of India, he remains determined to regain full strength: “The IPL and the World Cup are huge, but I want to play for England for as long as possible.”

Despite withdrawing from the T20 World Cup, Stokes offers his well wishes to the team as they defend their title. England starts their campaign on June 4th in Barbados against Scotland, vying for success in a challenging group.