The ICC has reportedly written to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) over Ben Stokes' retirement video, alleging a breach of its anti-corruption rules. The ICC raised concerns after the ECB released footage of Stokes' farewell speech from the dressing room during the fourth day of the third Test against New Zealand.
Stokes ended his international career with 11,321 runs and 352 wickets in 279 matches. He won the 2019 ODI World Cup, the 2022 T20 World Cup, and the 2015 Ashes. Stokes became only the second player after Jacques Kallis to complete the Test double of 7,000 runs and 250 wickets, finishing with 7,273 runs and 252 wickets.
Ben Stokes' Dressing Room Speech Shared on Social Media
Ben Stokes informed his England teammates about his retirement in the Trent Bridge dressing room before play began on Sunday. The ECB later shared the video with broadcasters and posted it on social media at 3:25 PM BST, shortly before the tea interval.
Notably, the video has since received more than 3.5 million views. In his speech, the outgoing captain urged his teammates to give their best during the final two days of the Test match.
He said:
"There’s something I know is going to happen over the next two days, which is going to be (that) this is my last two days as your captain, and my last two days as representing England. The only thing I want is just for everyone to give it, not only for me, selfishly, but also for this team and everything else that we’ve got going forward."
ICC Alleges Breach of Dressing Room Regulations
According to a BBC report, the ICC has accused the England and Wales Cricket Board of breaching its dressing room recording rules by releasing Ben Stokes' retirement speech before the end of the Test match.
The ICC said the ECB violated Article 2.2.11 of the PMOA minimum standards, which prohibits recording and broadcasting audio from team dressing rooms during a match. The governing body had previously informed the ECB that any dressing room footage could not include audio or be released before play had finished.
The PMOA rules were introduced to support the ICC's anti-corruption code and protect sensitive team areas during international matches. Although the ICC sent a formal letter to the ECB, the report added that the board is not expected to face any disciplinary action.
The letter was sent a day before the Women's T20 World Cup final at Lord's, where ECB chair Richard Thompson met ICC chairman Jay Shah. Neither the ICC nor the ECB has commented publicly on the matter.
England Begin Search for New Test Captain
Ben Stokes made an impact on the field despite the retirement announcement. He dismissed Zak Foulkes with the first ball of his next over after the news became public. In England's second innings, he received a guard of honour before scoring a quick 30 off 20 balls.
England eventually lost the third Test by 160 runs as New Zealand sealed the series 2-1. The team will now begin preparations for the upcoming three-Test series against Pakistan in August under a new captain.
Vice-captain Harry Brook has said it would be an honour to lead England in Tests. However, the ECB is taking its time before naming Stokes' successor, with head coach Brendon McCullum and managing director Rob Key expected to play key roles in the decision.
