England came roaring back to post a decent total and then bowl out New Zealand for 147 to win by 79 runs the rain-truncated second One-day International
The 45-year-old was hospitalised last December after he suffered facial injuries in an accident while shooting for Top Gear at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey last year
Centuries from Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell helped New Zealand start off the four-match ODI series with a thumping eight-wicket win over England at Cardiff
New Zealand was on top after removing Joe Root for 6 to leave England 101-3 in the 21st over but Stokes and Buttler, who was the top scorer with 72 off 68 balls on his 33rd birthday, steadied the innings with a partnership of 88.
Ben Stokes has hinted that he may undergo knee surgery post-World Cup later this year which could rule him out of their tour of India between January and March 2024
Chamari Athapaththu's knock of 55 runs helped Sri Lanka put up a complete performance at Chelmsford to clinch their first-ever women's T20I win against England
"It's excellent news on all fronts, it's great for cricket to have a superstar like Ben Stokes in a World Cup," Buttler was quoted as saying by Skysports.
Indian team, however, should not take others lightly as teams like Pakistan, England, Australia and New Zealand also had the potential to win top laurels, said Roger Binny
Just before the tournament begins, India will face Netherlands in Thiruvananthapuram. Each World Cup team will have two warm-up matches, and all 15 players can participate.
Four Indian-origin men in their 20s have been charged with the murder of a 23-year-old delivery driver, also of Indian heritage, after an attack in Shrewsbury
England's white-ball captain Jos Buttler hinted about Harry Brook's chance of making the England World Cup squad, and said selectors are still eyeing him for the mega tournament
The Rajasthan Royals (RR) star was instrumental in England's World Cup victory in 2019. After Eoin Morgan retired from international cricket, he took over the captaincy.
