ICC World Cup 2023: Stokes likely to miss Bangladesh match, Dharamsala outfield rated average

Stokes had a brief hit in the nets on Sunday and did some running. However, he did not appear 100 per cent fit.

Ben Stokes during a nets session in Dharamsala ahead of the match against Bangladesh. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

England’s all-rounder Ben Stokes is unlikely to appear in the team’s second ODI World Cup match against Bangladesh in Dharamsala on Tuesday.

Stokes had a brief hit in the nets on Sunday and did some running. However, he did not appear 100 per cent fit. A hip niggle kept England’s Test captain out of the World Cup opener against New Zealand, which the team lost by nine wickets.

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Stokes, who was the Player-of-the-Match in the 2019 final, came out of ODI retirement in August this year despite a long-standing knee injury. He did not play in England’s warm-up game against Bangladesh in Guwahati.

Meanwhile, during a scheduled visit, Chris Tetley, ICC’s head of events, and pitch consultant Andy Atkinson inspected the outfield on Sunday. “The ICC independent pitch consultant has taken a look at the outfield today and is comfortable with the conditions,” said a spokesperson.

The outfield conditions during the Bangladesh vs Afghanistan match raised safety concerns. Several players from both sides lost their footing in the deep, with Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman luckily avoiding a serious knee injury while fielding.