England should bring in Ben Stokes even if he is 99 per cent fit, says Irfan Pathan

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has urged England to bring back all-rounder Ben Stokes in the team following their loss against Afghanistan in the ongoing ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. Afghanistan registered just their second win in the history of the ODI World Cup by defeating defending champions England by 69 runs at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.

Speaking to Star Sports, Pathan said England should bring back Stokes in the team even if he



is 99 per cent fit, insisting that they won’t have a chance to qualify for the knockout stages if they lose another match. Stokes came out of retirement to be selected for England’s 15-member World Cup squad but hasn’t played a game yet due to injury.

“Bring in Ben Stokes even if he is 99% fit. You need him. You brought him for his experience. They won't have a chance to come back if they lose the next match. It won't happen every time,” said Pathan.