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Stokes Rules Himself Out of England's T20 World Cup Title Defense

FILE - England’s captain Ben Stokes prepares to bowl on the second day of the fifth and final test match between England and India in Dharamshala, India, Friday, March 8, 2024. Stokes ruled himself out of England’s defense of the Twenty20 World Cup title in June. Stokes made himself unavailable on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, hoping it will “be a sacrifice that allows me to be the allrounder I want to be for the foreseeable future.”(AP Photo/Ashwini Bhatia, File)
FILE - England’s captain Ben Stokes prepares to bowl on the second day of the fifth and final test match between England and India in Dharamshala, India, Friday, March 8, 2024. Stokes ruled himself out of England’s defense of the Twenty20 World Cup title in June. Stokes made himself unavailable on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, hoping it will “be a sacrifice that allows me to be the allrounder I want to be for the foreseeable future.”(AP Photo/Ashwini Bhatia, File)
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Stokes Rules Himself Out of England's T20 World Cup Title Defense

FILE - England’s captain Ben Stokes prepares to bowl on the second day of the fifth and final test match between England and India in Dharamshala, India, Friday, March 8, 2024. Stokes ruled himself out of England’s defense of the Twenty20 World Cup title in June. Stokes made himself unavailable on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, hoping it will “be a sacrifice that allows me to be the allrounder I want to be for the foreseeable future.”(AP Photo/Ashwini Bhatia, File)
FILE - England’s captain Ben Stokes prepares to bowl on the second day of the fifth and final test match between England and India in Dharamshala, India, Friday, March 8, 2024. Stokes ruled himself out of England’s defense of the Twenty20 World Cup title in June. Stokes made himself unavailable on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, hoping it will “be a sacrifice that allows me to be the allrounder I want to be for the foreseeable future.”(AP Photo/Ashwini Bhatia, File)

Test captain Ben Stokes has ruled himself out of England's T20 World Cup title defense, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced Tuesday.

The 32-year-old said he was skipping the tournament in the United States and the West Indies to make sure he could be a fully-fledged all-rounder in Test cricket.

"Opting out of the IPL (Indian Premier League) and the (T20) World Cup will hopefully be a sacrifice that allows me to be the all-rounder I want to be for the foreseeable future," Stokes said in an ECB statement.

Stokes's withdrawal was something of a surprise given that, when asked last month if he would participate in the T20 World Cup in June, he said he had "not even thought about that but I'm available".

It is understood Stokes has not suffered any setbacks after briefly returning to bowling last month during a Test tour of India where England lost a five-match series 4-1.

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Renard Confirms Saudi National Team's Readiness for the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup

The Saudi team is set to face Bahrain on Sunday - SPA
The Saudi team is set to face Bahrain on Sunday - SPA
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Renard Confirms Saudi National Team's Readiness for the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup

The Saudi team is set to face Bahrain on Sunday - SPA
The Saudi team is set to face Bahrain on Sunday - SPA

French coach Hervé Renard has confirmed the Saudi national football team's readiness to compete in the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup in Kuwait, from 21 December 2024 to 3 January 2025, and stressed that the team aims to achieve great results, rather than merely gain experience.
Renard also said the tournament is a valuable opportunity to enhance the players' technical and physical capabilities, SPA reported.
Speaking at a press conference, Renard said: "We are here to participate effectively and win. This tournament provides a great platform to work with the players and prepare them for future competitions."
Regarding the team's condition, Renard said that player Hassan Tambakti is ready for action, while Salem Al-Dawsari is "working on regaining full fitness".

He commended Al-Dawsari for his dedication to speeding up his recovery. Meanwhile, Firas Al-Brikan is dealing with an injury, and his availability will depend on further evaluations, said Renard.
Acknowledging the challenges ahead, Renard said: "I accepted this challenge because I believe in the players' capabilities. We must work with team spirit and focus on improvement in the coming period."
As far as the team's opening match against Bahrain is concerned, Renard said: "We are preparing for a tough game. The preparation period was crucial, and our focus now is on delivering a strong performance."
The Saudi team is set to face Bahrain on Sunday in what promises to be an exciting start to their Gulf Cup matches. Both teams are eager to make a strong impression in their opening match.