Stokes announces retirement from ODI cricket

North Sound: FILE - England s Ben Stokes leaves the pitch after the first cricket Test match against West Indies ended in a draw at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in North Sound, Antigua and Barbuda, Saturday, March 12, 2022 Stokes is the new captain of England’s test cricket team. The allrounder replaced Joe Root, who quit the role two weeks ago with England having only won one of its last 17 test matches. Stokes has just returned to the team after a spell out for mental-health reasons. . AP/PTI

North Sound: FILE - England s Ben Stokes leaves the pitch after the first cricket Test match against West Indies ended in a draw at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in North Sound, Antigua and Barbuda, Saturday, March 12, 2022 Stokes is the new captain of England’s test cricket team. The allrounder replaced Joe Root, who quit the role two weeks ago with England having only won one of its last 17 test matches. Stokes has just returned to the team after a spell out for mental-health reasons. . AP/PTI

London, July 18 (PTI) Star England all-rounder Ben Stokes on Monday made a surprise announcement to retire from ODI cricket.

The 31-year-old will play his last ODI against South Africa at his home ground in Durham on Tuesday.

Stokes' ODI career will forever be remembered for his Player-of-the-Match performance in the 2019 World Cup final against New Zealand at Lord's.

His unbeaten 84 helped to send the match into a Super Over as England claimed their first 50-over World Cup title in the most thrilling of circumstances.

Stokes, who is England's Test captain, has scored 2919 runs in 104 ODIs and taken 74 wickets.

"I will play my last game for England in ODI cricket on Tuesday in Durham. I have decided to retire from this format.

"This has been an incredibly tough decision to make. I have loved every minute of playing with my mates for England. We have had an incredible journey on the way," he said in an England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) statement.