Stokes to miss remainder of the Pakistan series

Sports Monday 10/August/2020 14:22 PM
By: Times News Service
Stokes to miss remainder of the Pakistan series

Southampton: England vice-captain Ben Stokes will play no further part in their ongoing Test series against Pakistan due to family reasons.
The all-rounder was not declared fit to bowl in the first innings of the first Test between the sides after picking up an injury during the preceding West Indies series. However, he was picked as a batsman and had recovered enough by the time of Pakistan's second innings to bowl four overs, in which he picked up the wickets of Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Afridi.
He will not be available for the second or third Tests, however, as he flies out to New Zealand to be with family.
"Stokes will leave the UK later this week and travel to New Zealand. He will miss England's two Test matches against Pakistan at the Ageas Bowl on Thursday 13 August and Friday 21 August," the ECB said in a press release on August 9.
Zak Crawley looks to be the likely replacement for Stokes in the batting line-up. He was dropped after the second West Indies Test last month to make room for a fifth bowler.
England are currently 1-0 up in the series, having pulled off an unlikely chase of 277 in the fourth innings, thanks to a 136-run sixth-wicket stand between Chris Woakes and Jos Buttler. The second Test begins in Southampton on Thursday, 13 August.