Stokes sees England going all the way

New Delhi, England have thrived on individual performances to make the semifinals of the World T20. If Joe Root’s hurricane 44-ball 83 saw them chase down South Africa’s mammoth 229 runs, Moeen Ali’s fighting 41 under trying conditions spared them the blushes against Afghanistan. And then, in their do-or-die encounter against Sri Lanka, Jos Buttler’s whirlwind 37-ball 66 provided the much-needed late impetus to the faltering England innings.
Buried under these sparkling performances is England all-rounder Ben Stokes’s crucial contributions to the team’s progress. In the match against Sri Lanka, with the islanders needing 15 runs off the last over, Stokes conceded just four runs to keep England afloat. While he hasn’t set the tournament alight with his batting yet, his exploits in Test and ODI cricket speak volumes about his ability, both with the bat and the ball.
“I am pleased with my overall game. I just love being involved in the game and high-pressure situations. It probably brings the best out of me,” said Stokes. “I enjoy getting into big moments. I believe in finishing off the things myself. I would be happy bowling the last over rather than watching and hoping for someone else to bowl and get us through.”
But for how long could they depend on a few individuals to keep getting across the line? “As long as we are getting results,” he said. “T20 is generally the fun side of cricket. Sometime, one individual performance can get you through. Someday, you can get whacked; in the next game, you bowl the same thing and don’t go for many runs. It’s been enjoyable. We have come back really strong, and it’s amazing we have managed to get to the semifinals.”
Stokes had missed the 2014 World T20 due to a wrist injury and later failed to make the cut for the 50-over World Cup in 2015. Playing in his first ICC global event, Stokes wants to settle for nothing less than the winner’s trophy.
“It would be nice to win another trophy. I would love to have that in my hand. When we were beaten by West Indies in the first game, Paul Collingwood (England’s 2010 World T20 winning captain) said it was a good omen because it had happened to his side too. I think we are one of the least experienced teams out here. We weren’t one of the favourites going in. It would prove a lot of people wrong,” he said.