The story of England cricket has been a mix of good and bad. Though they are the inventors of the game, it was initially a struggle for them to win any major trophies. However, it seems like the fate of the Three Lions has changed as they have been winning major tournaments like the 2019 World Cup and the 2022 T20 World Cup. There have also been some great talents that have helped them achieve these feats.
One of the players behind the recent successes of this England team is the swashbuckling all-rounder Benjamin Andrew Stokes. Stokes really took English cricket by storm with his explosive batting and some decent spells of medium pace in all formats of the game. The great cricketer and current Test skipper will be turning 33 this year on the 4th of June, and it is time to celebrate his remarkable career.
From flop show of 2016 to England’s cult hero
The year was 2016 and it was England’s second T20 World Cup final. Stokes was given the last over which ended up being disastrous for England as Carlos Brathwaite hit consecutive sixes of the all-rounder and broke every England fan’s heart. These are not easy circumstances to come back from, but Stokes made it happen. After three years Stokes went on to be an unsung hero in the 2019 World Cup final, play one of the best Test innings in the Ashes and finally win the T20 World Cup in 2022 as well.
It is safe to say that Stokes went from being a laughing stock in 2016 to now a certified legend of England cricket, playing 259 international matches where he has scored over 10000 runs and taken 298 wickets as well. This has been a career filled with memorable moments and the cricketing world will never forget his contribution to one of their most successful eras in international cricket.
Also read: Pakistan fast bowler Wasim Akram was born in 1966