Stokes believes in-form England can top ODI rankings
All-rounder played a key role as the visitors won the deciding third match against Bangladesh on Wednesday
Ben Stokes plays a shot during in Chittagong on October 12, 2016. PHOTO: AFP
BENGALURU:
All-rounder Ben Stokes said that England will climb to the top of the ODI rankings if they can maintain their fine form in the format.
The statement came after England completed a series victory in Bangladesh where the 25-year-old played a key role with an unbeaten 47 as the visitors won the deciding third match against the hosts in Chittagong on Wednesday to wrap up a third successive one-day series triumph, having beaten Sri Lanka and Pakistan at home earlier this year.
“It’s really exciting,” Stokes, who was named the man of the series, told Sky Sports.
“If we carry on like this we’ll achieve our target of being world number one,” he added.
England cruise to series victory over Bangladesh
England are currently fifth in the ODI rankings, behind Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and India.
England’s loss to Bangladesh in Adelaide, which knocked them out of the 2015 World Cup, spurred a string of changes to the national team set-up and Stokes felt the squad are starting to yield the dividends of the strategy.
“The team we have had together for the last 18 months have been playing unbelievable cricket,” said Stokes.
England beat Bangladesh by 21 runs in first ODI
With skipper Eoin Morgan sitting out the Bangladesh series over security concerns, wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler was tasked with leading a young and inexperienced squad against a side that had won their six previous home ODI series.
“Me and Jos work quite well. We’re quite aggressive in how we want to play our cricket, not just with the bat and the ball, but with field placings,” said Stokes.
Morgan and influential opening batsman Alex Hales are expected to return to the squad when England travel to India for their next three-match ODI series in January.
All-rounder Ben Stokes said that England will climb to the top of the ODI rankings if they can maintain their fine form in the format.
The statement came after England completed a series victory in Bangladesh where the 25-year-old played a key role with an unbeaten 47 as the visitors won the deciding third match against the hosts in Chittagong on Wednesday to wrap up a third successive one-day series triumph, having beaten Sri Lanka and Pakistan at home earlier this year.
“It’s really exciting,” Stokes, who was named the man of the series, told Sky Sports.
“If we carry on like this we’ll achieve our target of being world number one,” he added.
England cruise to series victory over Bangladesh
England are currently fifth in the ODI rankings, behind Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and India.
England’s loss to Bangladesh in Adelaide, which knocked them out of the 2015 World Cup, spurred a string of changes to the national team set-up and Stokes felt the squad are starting to yield the dividends of the strategy.
“The team we have had together for the last 18 months have been playing unbelievable cricket,” said Stokes.
England beat Bangladesh by 21 runs in first ODI
With skipper Eoin Morgan sitting out the Bangladesh series over security concerns, wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler was tasked with leading a young and inexperienced squad against a side that had won their six previous home ODI series.
“Me and Jos work quite well. We’re quite aggressive in how we want to play our cricket, not just with the bat and the ball, but with field placings,” said Stokes.
Morgan and influential opening batsman Alex Hales are expected to return to the squad when England travel to India for their next three-match ODI series in January.