Congratulations Ben Stokes

Wisden's leading Cricketer in the World - 2019

It has been quite a great year for Ben Stokes, an English All Rounder. He has been in the England national cricket side from the year 2011. Made ODI debut in 2011, Test cricket debut in 2013, T20I debut in 2011. But he hasn't got much received in his career, particularly till 2016 World Twenty20. He started his career as a Right arm Medium Fast bowler, played at No.9 Position for England. But due to his great batting performances, he has been promoted up the order. But still, he hasn't been selected for 2014 T20 WorldCup, due to an injury. Then, he played against India where he had a moderate series while his performances were poor against Sri Lanka, ruling him out of the 2015 WorldCup Squad.

Then, he improved on from his performances and got selected in the England Squad for 2016 T20 WorldCup, but during the final match against West Indies, he was asked to bowl the last over of the match and needed to defend 19 runs to clinch the title. He bowled against Carlos Brathwaite, but unfortunately, he has been thrashed for four consecutive sixes in the first four balls, which caused as a main reason for their defeat in the final. Everyone, criticised him for giving away the trophy, by his poor final over. From here the motivational journey starts.....

We have heard proverbs about motivation. One such proverb is " A wounded lion is even more dangerous". He is an proven example of this provreb. Then due to his good performances he has been selected in 2019 WorldCup, which is held in their own country.

In this World Cup, he scored 5 fifties including the one in the final match against New Zealand. Against South Africa, in the opening match, he scored 89 runs off 79 balls, picked 2 wickets, got Man Of the Match. Against Australian side, when they were chasing 286, he was the only one, who resisted and batted on their bowling attack, scoring 89 runs. Against Sri Lanka, he scored 82*runs,still lost the match by 20 runs, in a low scoring thriller. Against India, he scored 79 runs off just 54 deliveries, in a must win game, and helped England to win the match. Four fifties in league stage.

In the Final match against New Zealand, England were chasing a target of 241. But after they lost quick wickets, he and Butler, stitched a good partnership, but after Butler lost his wicket, he at one end, played a magnificent innings, but at other end, England lost wickets, but eventually they tied the match, leaving Stokes on 84*. At super over, he batted out and again it became a tie, but England won the match on a boundary count, and lifted their maiden World Cup. He was awarded Man of the Match in the final match and also named in the 2019 Worldcup XI Squad.

After a magnificent World Cup, during the ashes series, he was the leading run scorer for England team scoring 441 runs, with 2 fifties and 2 hundreds. That too, one crucial hundred in the 3rd Test, sealing a win by 1 wicket, where he batted extraordinarily with last batsman Leech, stitching a partnership of 76 runs. He was named Man of the match in this match. Also he along with Steve Smith, named as Player of the Series in Ashes.

These performances snatched him Wisden's Leading Cricketer of the Year, 2019 Award from Virat Kohli, who held it for past three years. Also, the first English Player to get the award after 14 years. From a depressing 2016 T20 WorldCup to a performance of his life in 2019 WorldCup and Ashes, shows the height and epitome of Confidence. Apart from Cricket, every individual should learn how to deal with our successes and failures in our life, and a living representation is Benjamin Andrews Stokes.