[WATCH] Ben Stokes castled by Yuzvendra Chahal in 2026 County Championship

Yuzvendra Chahal produced a memorable delivery in the 2026 County Championship to dismiss Ben Stokes for 14, bowling him through the gap between bat and pad in the 47th over. The ball crashed cleanly onto the stumps and left Stokes visibly shell-shocked as Northamptonshire claimed a key wicket against Durham.

The dismissal arrived at a critical point in Durham's innings. Mayank Agarwal had already been dismissed before Stokes walked to the crease, and the visitors were under pressure when Chahal produced the delivery that ended Stokes's stay at the wicket. Stokes, who had retired from international cricket during England's Test series against New Zealand, was turning out for Durham in the County Championship when Chahal ended his innings on 14.

How did Chahal dismiss Stokes and what were his final bowling figures?

The delivery that accounted for Stokes was the centrepiece of Chahal's spell. The leg-spinner pitched the ball on a length, and it turned sharply, finding the gap between bat and pad before hitting the stumps in the 47th over. The dismissal drew immediate attention given the stature of the batsman involved.

Chahal did not confine his damage to that single wicket. He also removed Alex Lees, Kasey Aldridge and Matthew Potts during his spell, completing a four-wicket haul. His final return read four wickets for 36 runs across 15.2 overs, a performance that was central to Northamptonshire bowling Durham out for 205.

What was the state of Durham's innings when Chahal struck?

Durham's innings had already been under strain before Chahal dismissed Stokes. David Bedingham had contributed 81 before being dismissed, and his departure left Durham at 169 for five in the 40th over. That wicket placed the lower order in a difficult position with runs still required.

Stokes arrived at the crease after Agarwal's dismissal and also saw Bedingham perish, meaning Durham needed their experienced players to rebuild. Chahal's dismissal of Stokes in the 47th over effectively ended any realistic prospect of a recovery. The remaining Durham batsmen were unable to add enough runs, and the innings closed at 205 all out. Chahal's four-wicket haul was the decisive bowling contribution in the Northamptonshire attack on the day.