England’s star all-rounder, Ben Stokes, is slated to sit out the opening match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, which is planned for October 5th at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. According to England’s captain, Jos Buttler, Stokes has picked up a small hip injury soon before the World Cup opener.
England’s all-rounder, Ben Stokes, is facing an injury setback just ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 opening match against New Zealand. The highly anticipated clash between these two teams is scheduled to take place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 5, 2023, marking the commencement of the tournament.
It’s worth remembering that these two sides previously squared off in the 2019 World Cup final at Lord’s, a match that is often hailed as one of the greatest finals in cricket history. The contest and the subsequent thrilling super over ended in a dramatic tie. England emerged as the winners on the basis of a boundary count, a decision that stirred controversy.
This time around, New Zealand is dealing with its own set of challenges. Captain Kane Williamson won’t be leading the team due to ongoing recovery from knee surgery. Additionally, Tim Southee remains on the sidelines as he continues to recuperate from a thumb injury sustained during an England ODI, which required surgery.
“He’s got a slight niggle with his hip. Fingers crossed that it’ll be good news for us. He’s working hard with the physios and we’ll know more when the guys arrive for training today. We’ll make the right call: if he’s not fit to play, he’s not fit to play,” England captain Jos Buttler was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.
Interestingly, Stokes was absent from England’s previous warm-up match against Bangladesh in Guwahati on Monday due to a hip strain. This setback came after their initial warm-up game against India was rained out. Looking ahead, Buttler reiterated his unwillingness to take large risks early in the campaign.
“If he is, we can make that decision. It’s not the time to take big risks on someone at the start of the tournament. Nearer the end, maybe you do take more of a risk with people’s injuries, but it’s going to be a long tournament,” Buttler further added.
If England finds themselves without Ben Stokes in the tournament’s first game, they have several choices at their disposal. It’s probable that the talented young batsman Harry Brook, who occupied the same batting slot in the warm-up match, will step in as his replacement.
England World Cup squad:
Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, David Willey, Mark Wood, Chris Woakes.
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