Benjamin Andrew Stokes

Ben Stokes is one of the most explosive all-rounders of the modern era. His energy on the cricket field is contagious. His lofty talent was evident from an early age, and it was no surprise that at the age of 18, stokes signed a 2-year county contract with Durham. His ability was seen in the 2010 U-19 WC, where he recorded a century against India. He is an English international cricketer and the current vice-captain of the England Test team. Ben was part of the England team that won the 2019 Cricket World Cup title. He played his first 50-over World Cup in 2019 for England. He only went to the Blitzkrieg in the first match of the tournament, scoring 89 runs off 79 balls. Stokes played the match-winning innings in the final of the World Cup, helping his side clinch the first 50-over World Cup. As a middle-order batsman, he set the record for England as the fastest Test double century, fastest Test match 250 and highest Test score by a number six batsman. Ben also holds the record for most runs scored by an individual batsman in the morning session of a Test match. Stokes became the highest-paid foreign player in Indian Premier League history in 2017, receiving a record contract of 145 million INR; he won the Most Valuable Player award during the season. In January 2020, Stokes was awarded the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for Best Cricketer of the Year by the International Cricket Council (ICC). 

Major Achievements -

• Ben holds the record for the second-fastest Test 200's in terms of balls faced.
• Stokes scored the fastest 250 runs in Tests, scoring in just 196 balls in the second Test against South Africa. Set the record for being the first batsman to score fastest 250 by playing in the sixth place.
• He also holds the record for most sixes (11) in a Test inning.
• Most runs in the first session of a day in Tests - 130 runs.
• Stokes has a highest 399-run Test partnership with Johnny Bairstow for the sixth wicket against South Africa.
• He became the second cricketer after Ian Botham to take more than 4,000 runs and take more than 100 wickets in Tests for England.
• Ben Stokes was awarded the Man of the Match in the final of the 2019 World Cup.
• He was awarded the Freedom of the Borough of Allerdale in September 2019.
• He was bestowed with the 2019 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award in Aberdeen.
• Stokes was appointed as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2020 New Year Honors for services to cricket.
• In January 2020, Stokes was awarded the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for the Best Cricketer by the International Cricket Council (ICC).