Ben Stokes called it a day in his ODI career at his home ground, the Riverside Ground on Chester-le-Street in Durham, choosing to retire from the format on his own terms against South Africa. Stokes, who is now the Test captain for his nation, mentioned that he found balancing all three formats in a tight schedule "unsustainable", and that he couldn't give his best to the team in ODIs anymore. However, he will be remembered for his role as England won the 2019 World Cup on home turf, and the Riverside Ground rose in appreciation for a wonderful career as the 31-year-old walked off the pitch for the final time.
The ECB's Twitter handle shared a video of the standing ovation Stokes received from his home crowd, a moment that had become the focus of the first match of the series between England and South Africa. The video sees Stokes raise his bat to the England supporters, looking clearly emotional as he returned to the pavilion.
The all-rounder hasn't been shy about his struggles with coping with the taxing cricket schedule with international commitments and T20 leagues around the world, having pulled out of this year's IPL and the second edition of The Hundred due to personal reasons. Also having struggled with injury, Stokes explained that to maintain fitness for the rest of his career, this was a decision which more or less made itself.
{{/usCountry}}The all-rounder hasn't been shy about his struggles with coping with the taxing cricket schedule with international commitments and T20 leagues around the world, having pulled out of this year's IPL and the second edition of The Hundred due to personal reasons. Also having struggled with injury, Stokes explained that to maintain fitness for the rest of his career, this was a decision which more or less made itself.
{{/usCountry}}Stokes ended his ODI career with a batting average of 39 and a strike rate of 95, with 3 centuries, as well as 74 wickets in his 105-game career. His most memorable feats came at the most important times, significantly in the 2019 WC final against New Zealand, where his 84*(98) ensured the team forced a super over after the innings had lost its way.
The final appearance of his ODI career didn't go to plan, with Stokes being expensive in 5 overs, with 0-44, and being dismissed for 5(11), as England lost by 62 runs to a South African team charged by Rassie van der Dussen's century and Aiden Markram's quickfire 77, as well as Anrich Nortje's 4-fer, including 3 wickets in one over. However, it was an occasion which overshadowed the result, and while Stokes might wish he could have pulled off an improbable ODI result for England one last time, the reception he received shows how much appreciation he has anyway.
South Africa took a 1-0 series lead, with 2 matches left to play in Manchester and Leeds. This will be followed by a three-match T20I series in which Stokes might return, and soon after that a three-match Test series well captain Stokes will look to keep the momentum of his trailblazing England red-ball team up, as they attempt to reach new heights in that format of the game.