Ben Stokes’ maiden World Cup century rescued England from near defeat and led them to victory over Netherlands, which kept their Champions Trophy qualification hopes alive. His 129-run partnership with Chris Woakes helped England rise from 192 for 6 to 339 for 9 in Pune, after losing five wickets for 59 runs, securing England’s second win of this edition with one game remaining. Stokes had battled through injury but still managed to have a significant impact on the game that helped England improve their net run rate, moving them from the bottom of the table into seventh place. Despite the victory, England’s chances of reaching the semi-finals were slim, but it did boost their chances of qualifying for the 2025 Champions Trophy. The win also affected Netherlands’ chances of qualifying for the Champions Trophy, as they faced an uphill battle with their final match against undefeated hosts India.
