Eoin Morgan: ‘Ben Stokes continues to stand up for England in big games’

• Ben Stokes led his team to their second Men’s T20 World Cup title
• former England captain Eoin Morgan praised Stokes’ effort
• Stokes revealed that England started to play their best version

Ben Stokes led his team to their second Men’s T20 World Cup title with an undefeated 52, and former England captain Eoin Morgan praised Stokes’ effort, stating the all-rounder “continues to stand up for the side in key games.”

Stokes’ inclusion in the T20 World Cup squad despite his limited T20I playing time received little criticism. However, all those concerns were allayed as Stokes rose to the occasion and led England to victory in a 49-ball innings to chase down Pakistan’s 137/8 total with an over remaining and five wickets in hand.

“Ben is just such a special player. In big games, he continues to stand up for his country when his country needs him. That is such an incredible skill to have.”

“When something has the potential to go awry, Ben is the guy that thinks coolly and calmly under pressure and makes brilliant decisions. He’s done it so many times now,” Morgan commented on Sky Sports following the game.

As the first men’s team to simultaneously hold both the 50-over and 20-over titles, Morgan, who retired from international cricket in July 2022 and was commentating on Sunday’s final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, thinks England can now be considered one of the greatest limited-overs sides.

“It is such an incredible feeling — pure joy, relief, happiness. This team deserves it. They’ve been through the mill in the group stages and they’ve produced close to their very best against India in the semifinal.”

” Jos Buttler said, ‘We don’t want to be known as a team just for our style of play’. We were known like that in 50 overs then won the 50-over World Cup in 2019. In T20 they’ve now won something tangible to be regarded as one of the great sides. They were excellent,” he concluded.

Stokes said that he had no such doubts when asked whether he had any doubts that England would cross the finish line after the game.

“I didn’t feel like it was out of our hands at all. I tried to make sure I stayed there as long as I possibly could at the end.” “It’s easier when you have a batter in at the end of the innings and it’s never really panic stations when it’s under eight runs an over and Mo (Moeen Ali) got us really going.”

Stokes, the Test skipper, revealed that England started to play their best version in the T20 World Cup after a shock five-run loss to Ireland in a rain-hit Super 12 match at the MCG.

“In finals, especially chasing, you forgot all the hard work that came first. To restrict them to 130, the bowlers have to take a lot of credit. Adil Rashid and Sam Curran won us the game.”

“With Ireland being so early in the competition, we had to address it. Say what had to be said and then let it go. We can’t carry baggage in tournaments. That was a little blip on the way, credit to Ireland for turning up and beating us.”

“The best teams take it on the chin, and move on to the next challenge. A pretty good evening. Representing your country in World Cups is amazing. It’s been a good one.”

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