Ben Stokes remains the “man to be counted on”, insists fast bowler Mark Wood, who hopes England can hit top gear in Thursday’s T20 World Cup semi-final against India at the Adelaide Oval.
Stokes was averaging just 9.8 with a 100 strike-rate in his last six T20 innings before this weekend but England’s 2019 50-over World Cup final hero delivered when they were teetering against Sri Lanka.
His unbeaten 42 off 36 balls was just what was needed to get England to victory by four wickets with two balls to spare in Sydney in a scrappy chase to pip Australia to second spot in their Super 12s group.
The contribution was another example of Stokes keeping his composure, just as nerves looked to be setting into the England camp, and Wood knows how redoubtable his Durham team-mate is.
“He’s a good man to have in a tough situation,” Wood said. “I know people have questioned him but when you need him, he stands up. That’s why you have him in the team.