Ben Stokes remembers his father after completing hundred during third ODI vs New Zealand

England all-rounder Ben Stokes scored a scintillating hundred during the third ODI vs New Zealand on Wednesday, September 13 at Kennington Oval, London. The southpaw played a breathtaking innings of 182 (124) smashing 15 fours and nine sixes in his innings. Courtesy of his knock, England posted a massive score of 368 as they got all out in 48.1 overs. 

Stokes’ celebration after completing the century has been going viral all over social media as the England all-rounder remembered his father Gerard Stokes by bending his middle finger and looking up towards the sky. The 32-year-old has earlier explained that the gesture is a tribute to his father who lost his middle finger after suffering multiple injuries during his rugby career in the 1980s. Gerard passed away in December 2020 after his long battle with Brain Cancer.

Stokes’ 182 is the highest score by an England batter in ODIs as he left behind Jason Roy’s 180 (151) vs Australia in Melbourne on January 14, 2018. At one stage, it looked like he might become the first-ever batter England batter to score a double hundred in ODIs. However, he got dismissed in the 45^th over trying to whack a full toss from Ben Lister over deep mid wicket but could only manage to find Will Young on the boundary.

It was just the fourth hundred of Stokes’ ODI career coming after a gap of six years. The Christchurch-born cricketer came out of retirement in August 2023 to help England defend their World Champions crown in the upcoming ODI World Cup 2023 scheduled to begin in India from October 05.

Stokes is on a roll since his comeback

Stokes has announced his comeback to ODI cricket in style scoring 235 runs from three innings at an average of 78.33 and a strike rate of 115.76 with one hundred and one fifty to his name. The all-rounder played a major role in helping England to win the final of the ODI World Cup 2019 with his knock of 84* (98) and will be eager to play a similar role this time around as well.