Ben Stokes agrees to help England defend 50-over World Cup

Ben Stokes AGREES to come out of ODI retirement and help England defend 50-over World Cup… with talisman to be named in squad for New Zealand series on Wednesday

  • Ben Stokes’ return to England one-day side will be confirmed on Wednesday
  • He will be named in 15-man squad for a four-match series against New Zealand 
  • His troublesome left knee is likely to see him play as a batsman only at World Cup

Ben Stokes will be named in England’s one-day squad on Wednesday for next month’s four-match series against New Zealand in a bid to get him ready for October’s World Cup in India.

Mail Sport revealed that England white-ball coach Matthew Mott had approached Stokes about coming out of one-day retirement to help Jos Buttler’s team defend the trophy they won against the New Zealanders at Lord’s in 2019.

And Stokes, who played the most recent of his 105 ODIs in July 2022, is understood to have agreed, even if his troublesome left knee is likely to see him play as a batsman only – ending, for the time being, speculation that he will undergo surgery on the joint.

Fast bowler Jofra Archer could yet be picked for the World Cup, too, though the deadline for teams to announce a provisional 18-man squad is not until September 5. 

Archer’s likeliest return to England colours after a long lay-off with an elbow problem will be for the three-match ODI series against Ireland starting on September 20. 

Ben Stokes’ return to England one-day side for the World Cup will be confirmed on Wednesday

England’s white-ball coach Matthew Mott made a passionate plea to get Stokes back 

The World Cup squad does not have to be trimmed to its final 15 until September 28.

The New Zealand series, meanwhile, gets going on September 8, and is preceded by four T20 games against the same opponents. 

Stokes, who recently captained his country to a 2-2 draw in the Ashes, emerges unscathed, the scene will be set for a dramatic comeback on the biggest stage. 

England’s first World Cup game takes place on October 5, against New Zealand in Ahmedabad.

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