In the ongoing ODI World Cup 2023, star England all-rounder Ben Stokes made a comeback from injury against South Africa. In high-voltage games, Stokes failed to perform both with bat and ball. When England eagerly needed Stokes to step up for them, the southpaw failed to uphold the expectations.
Despite Reece Topley‘s injury, Stokes didn’t come to bowl while other bowlers were being toyed with by the South African batting line-up. Meanwhile, the batting English Test skipper put up a poor show as he was dismissed by South African pacer Kagiso Rabada. Coming to bat when the defending champions were crumbling at 23/2, Stokes failed to hold on to his instinctive batting and holed up to Rabada.
It’s worth noting that Stokes made a comeback from retirement for the ongoing tournament a month ago. He faced New Zealand in three ODI series and has been the highest run scorer for England. Stokes, in his three innings against New Zealand, scored 235 runs at an average of 75.33, including a century and a half. However, an ankle injury pushed him out of the fray, which resulted in poor performance.
South Africa destroyed the English bowling line-up
Playing without their skipper, Temba Bavuma, South Africa had a lot of work to do with the bat. After losing wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock, the Proteas bounced back strongly and outplayed the English bowling line-up. In the last ten overs, South African batters added 143 runs after losing two wickets. Henrich Klaasen and Marco Jansen dismantled English bowlers with clean power hitting.
Klassen, in his innings, scored 109 runs off 67 balls with the help of twelve fours and four sixes. Meanwhile, Jansen, in his inning, scored an unbeaten 75 runs off 42 balls with the help of three fours and six sixes. Apart from them, Rassie Van der Dussen and Reeza Hendricks also hammered half-centuries and led South Africa to a massive total of 399/7 in 50 overs.
Here is how fans react to Ben Stokes’ poor performance:
Ben stokes is back.. ??
Back in the hut I mean ?? pic.twitter.com/pkq3bjopaA
— Extraa Cover (@ExtraaaCover) October 21, 2023
Stokes ko aaram krna h isliye out ho gya pic.twitter.com/maFCG3hd0Z
— Kailash Talnia (@DiL_waLa_0) October 21, 2023
Ben stokes is most overrated cricketer ever
— KRISHNA? (@KrishnaVK_18) October 21, 2023
Rabada to Stokes, out Caught&Bowled!! Rabada has his first. Stokes goes and flips the bat up in the air after Rabada catches. Fullish on the stumps, flicked back and it went around shin-height to Rabada who clutches it with no trouble at all.
— Abhinav singh (@Abhinav_tmk) October 21, 2023
Stokes you can never be Hardik pandya the ?
— ANSH. (@KohliPeak) October 21, 2023
England is clearly not arrived yet, none of their batters seems in form and i dont think they will be able to qualify into top 4
— The Jhumroo (@thejhumroo) October 21, 2023
Khatam tata goodbye gaya pic.twitter.com/e1opy4xbzF
— King Kohli's Fan (@ViratFan100) October 21, 2023
England are officially out
— ????™ (@Here4Virat) October 21, 2023
