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England's Test captain Ben Stokes is rumored to be close to signing a deal with MI Cape Town. MI Cape Town is a team in South Africa's major franchise league, SA20. The league launched in 2023 with six teams, all owned by the same Indian Premier League franchise owners. MI Cape Town is the sister team to the Mumbai Indians, a franchise owned by the Ambani family.
Ben Stokes to feature in SA20 for MI Cape Town
According to a report in The Telegraph, Stokes is likely to be playing for MI Cape Town in the upcoming season of SA20, which will be the third edition of the league. The report claims that the England Test captain has been offered a hefty sum of £800,000 (which is roughly equivalent to 8.65 crore Indian rupees) to participate in the competition next January.
Although Ben Stokes hasn't been a regular feature in T20 cricket lately, his talent as a world-class all-rounder remains undeniable. This is further amplified by his recent return to consistent bowling, making him a highly valuable asset for any team. Stokes was a key member of the England squad that triumphed in the 2022 T20 World Cup. He's also no stranger to success in T20 leagues, having bagged the Most Valuable Player award in the Indian Premier League (IPL) back in 2017.
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Ben Stokes' potential absence from India series
There's a chance England Test captain Ben Stokes might miss the upcoming T20I series against India. This hinges on whether he signs with MI Cape Town for the next edition of SA20. If he does, he'd likely play the entire tournament, conflicting with the India series. However, it's important to note that Stokes isn't currently part of England's T20 squad. He opted out of the recent T20 World Cup to prioritize Tests. There's still a possibility of him playing the ODI series against India in February, assuming he remains in England's plans for the Champions Trophy. In that scenario, he might miss some SA20 matches.
For the record, Stokes has a solid T20I career with over 500 runs and 26 wickets in 43 appearances.
Right now, Ben Stokes is focused on his captaincy duties, leading England in a three-Test series against the West Indies. They got off to a strong start, dominating the first match with a convincing win by an innings and 114 runs. This victory puts them in a strong position to take the series lead. After a winless run in Tests since 2022, England are hungry for a series victory and will be aiming to capitalise on their momentum against the West Indies.
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