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England all-rounder Ben Stokes completed a stunning century against the Netherlands in the ICC ODI World Cup 2023. Playing in Pune, the Three Lions, once again, started poorly with Jonny Bairstow getting out early, followed by a mini-collapse as Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali got in quick succession.
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But Stokes held one end and gradually increased the scoring rate with a few timely boundaries. Soon, Stokes, with Chris Woakes, built a crucial 100+ run stand that carried England out of trouble. As the first innings entered the final 10 overs, Stokes took off and started hitting stunning shots. Then in the 48th over, facing Paul van Meekran, Ben Stokes hit an exquisite reverse-swipe to reach his first World Cup ton.
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In the final over of the innings, Stokes departed at a score of 108 in 84 balls with six fours and six sixes. This game against the Netherlands is extremely important for England as their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 selection is still up in the air.
At the toss, Jos Buttler, England captain, talked about how these remaining fixtures are extremely crucial for the team. Buttler said, "Crucial matches for us, we need to win these games. Huge room for improvement. Need to play a good game of cricket. We need to trust in ourselves. Desperate to do things right."
