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'Spiritual leader' Ben Stokes rises to the challenge
The left-hander’s well-paced 108 steered England to a resounding 160-run win over the Netherlands
England had their customary wobble. Wickets were gifted, again. Joe Root gave the trolls an invitation with his mode of dismissal, straight out of once Oscar-nominated ‘Lagaan’. When Moeen Ali trudged back to the Maharashtra Cricket Association pavilion after lobbing a catch to long-off, England, at 192/6 in 35.2, looked in danger of missing out even on Champions Trophy 2025 qualification.
This time, however, they had one man standing - their spiritual leader Ben Stokes. The left-hander’s well-paced 108 (84b, 6x4, 6x6) steered England to a resounding 160-run win at Pune on Wednesday after the Netherlands were dismissed for 179. It was only England’s second win, but one that helped them climb to 7th on the points table, with a game in hand against Pakistan.
For once, England started well and raced to 70/1 after the powerplay. Dawid Malan, probably playing his last ODI World Cup was driving through the off-side with complete control and leading his team to safety.
In the 21st over, Root set up for the reverse-ramp over third man. The shot has got him many runs in the Bazball era, playing in whites. This time, Root (28) got his footwork, making it obvious to the bowler and his dismissal ultimately looked more awkward than designed to as the ball squeezed between his legs to ram into the stumps.
Malan would soon follow, run out on 87 (74) after a misunderstanding with Stokes. This time, Stokes remained unfazed. Even as England kept losing wickets in the middle overs – they lost 5 on Wednesday and 44, the most off all teams in the tournament – Stokes held up his end. It wasn’t anything like the belligerent stroke-play he is known for.
The whole essence of the Stokes-McCullum method is to attack, to steal the advantage. With six previous defeats, and the team’s confidence at an all-time low, Stokes chose to reserve his punches. Until he sent Bas de Leede over the mid-wicket stands to bring up his fifty in 58 balls, he was soaking up the pressure and preparing a launch pad.
He had some luck by his side. Dropped on 41 off a tough chance at fine-leg, he also had a DRS decision go his way against off-spinner Aryan Dutt, while on 68. But by then; six overs to close - more the death overs spell of play in T20 cricket - Stokes had changed gears. Dutt, who until that stage had bowled with good control would bowl a full toss above waist high. Stokes sent that one beyond the ropes and punished his free-hit to make it a 24-run over.
The Dutch resilience began to fade. As they lost control over their lengths, it no longer remained a battle of the equals. Stokes found an able ally in Chris Woakes 51 (45) and the duo would amass 90 runs in the last six overs.
In the 48th over, Stokes reverse swept Paul van Meekeren to the third-man boundary to bring up his hundred. Everyone in the English camp knew, they wouldn’t be home without Stokes’ rescue operation. He raised both his hands to the dressing room as they stood up to applaud.
In his mid-innings chat, Woakes shared the dressing room’s sentiments when wickets were falling - ‘oh no, not again’.
“But luckily, Stokesy got us to a score to be happy with. Hope it’s enough runs, it’s going to have to be…,” he would say.
Well, they were. Wokes and David Willy found early swing. Ali and Adil Rashid managed five wickets of spin between them. And chasing 340, for Netherlands, proved to be a bridge too far.
