Ben Stokes 63-ball 103 has drawn praise from all corners, even his captain Steven Smith has hailed the Rs 14.5 cr man. They were reeling at 10 for 3, chasing 162 against Gujarat Lions to solidify their bid for the playoffs. That is when Ben Stokes came out and proved his worth and how.
In fact in an interview just after the match Steven Smith has gone on to praise the southpaw and said, “Allrounders are so valuable in T20 cricket and he bats, bowls and fields well. He’s a perfect fit for our team, particularly after Mitchell Marsh was ruled out as well. He’s done a terrific job for us. We paid a big amount to get him. We know he’s a quality player. [He] certainly earned his cash tonight.
“For us it’s about trying to get to know each other for six or eight weeks and try and get the best out of each other. Even learn a bit about one another. The team’s been really good. We’ve got some really good characters in the shed there.”
Adding further he also spoke of RPS’ chances and said, ” “We’re four [wins] and two [losses] here, if I’m right. That’s reasonable going. One more game to play here against the Kings XI Punjab, so hopefully we can make it 5 and 2. I’ve said that these five games are very important for us and I think we’ve played some really good cricket and it’s nice to get over the line and be in the position where we are now.”
Now RPS have a good chance of making the cut and with Ben Stokes in good form they will press hard for the trophy.
