What makes this achievement even more poignant is that England have already been eliminated from the ongoing tournament, leaving them in a desperate struggle to secure a spot in the forthcoming Champions Trophy 2025.
Ben Stokes power England to a commanding total
Mentioning about England’s batting, the opening pair of Jonny Bairstow and Dawid Malan added 48 runs for the first wicket, but Bairstow fell in the seventh over to an unexpected delivery by the Dutch pacer Aryan Dutt.
Malan and Joe Root then built an 85-run partnership, with Malan taking the charge. However, Root’s dismissal in the 21st over and Malan’s unlucky run-out at 87 triggered a middle-order collapse, leaving England at 192/6 by the 36th over.
Stokes, renowned for his clutch performances, then started off, scoring a brilliant century and Chris Woakes provided him a valuable support. Their partnership of 129 runs for the seventh wicket secured England’s dominance. Stokes scored 108 off 84 balls, with six fours and six maximums, while Woakes added 51 off 45 balls.
England finished strongly with a total of 339/9 in 50 overs, putting them in a commanding position.
Also READ – CWC 2023: Indian politician Shashi Tharoor compares Glenn Maxwell’s double hundred with Kapil Dev’s heroics in 1983 World Cup
England’s lacklustre performance in the ODI World Cup 2023
The English side have endured a disastrous campaign in the ODI World Cup 2023, having suffered defeats in six of the seven games they’ve played. This disappointing run of results have left them anchored at the bottom of the points table, facing a dire situation as they aim to secure a place in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which is set to take place in Pakistan. The Three Lions’ struggle in the ongoing tournament serves as a stark contrast to their previous World Cup victory.
Here’s how fans reacted to the Ben Stokes show in Pune:
Stokes’ batting performance against the Dutch side garnered him a lot of praise across the internet.
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A fifth ODI century for Ben Stokes!#EnglandCricket | #CWC23 pic.twitter.com/9JpWiP3tW1
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) November 8, 2023
Also READ: Mohammed Shami’s estranged wife Hasin Jahan gives shocking statement on India pacer’s success in ODI World Cup 2023
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