Ben Stokes offered up to £800,000 to play for MI Cape Town

Ben Stokes, who has only prioritized playing for England in Tests recently and even skipped the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, has been offered up to £800,000 to play for MI Cape Town in the SA20 competition. The Telegraph reported that the England Test skipper, who turned down ECB's offer of a multi-year central contract last year and signed for a period of 12 months, is expected to sign the deal. 

The SA20 competition also gets the boost of Joe Root, who is expected to sign for Paarl Royals. While the process seems more symbolic, with England not having any Test commitments during the tournament, it may have a ripple effect on how Rob Key, England’s managing director for Men’s cricket, negotiate the contract later this year. 

Key recently explained Stoked would be in a better standing to negotiate the deal in October after letting go of the Indian Premier League contract to make himself fit for England’s Test season. 

However, if Stokes plays in the SA20, he will be unavailable for England’s five-match T20 series in India but will still feature in the Champions Trophy, which begins on February 19. All of that will depend on their discussions during contract negotiation. 

Currently, Stokes is leading England in a three-match Test series against West Indies and the team are slated to play a three-match series in Pakistan and New Zealand this year. 

If you’ve not downloaded the Cricket.com app yet, you’re missing out — big time. Play Fantasy on Cricket.com NOW! Download the App here.