Ben Stokes completes 500 runs and 25 wickets in T20Is
Ben Stokes completed 500 runs in T20Is during England's last Super 12 stage game against Sri Lanka in the ICC T20 World Cup 2022. He scored an unbeaten 36-ball 42 as the Three Lions clinched the contest by four wickets and advanced to the semi-finals. Stokes became the second England all-rounder to complete 500 runs and 25 wickets in T20Is. Here are Stokes' stats.
Why does this story matter?
England needed to win this match to qualify for the semi-finals. Stokes earlier claimed figures of 1/24 in his three overs as the Lankan team posted 141/8 in their allotted 20 overs. Coming out to bat at number three, the southpaw then played a composed knock as England crossed the line with two balls to spare. Stokes smashed two boundaries in the game.
Ben Stokes' performance in T20Is
Stokes, who made his T20I debut in 2011, has played 41 T20Is so far. He has so far smashed 533 runs at an average of 19.74. His highest score of 47* was recorded against South Africa in 2020. With the ball, he has taken 25 wickets at an economy rate of 8.4. He recorded his best figures (3/26) against New Zealand in 2016.
Ben Stokes joins Moeen Ali on the elite list
Meanwhile, Moeen Ali is the only other England all-rounder with over 500 runs and 25 wickets in T20 Internationals. The southpaw has scored 1,025 runs in the format so far alongside taking 40 wickets. He also participated in the must-win game against SL.
How did the match pan out?
Opting to bat, SL rallied to 54/1 in the powerplay. However, they lost the heat in the middle and death overs. Southpaw Bhanuka Rajapaksa (22) couldn't do much damage either. Wood's stunning comeback restricted SL under 145. Spinner Adil Rashid (1/16) deserves an equal bit of praise. Later, Stokes showcased his clutch gene in what turned out to be a tricky chase.
