'Devastated. Give credit to India': Ben Stokes reacts after England knocked out of T20 World Cup

England's Test captain, Ben Stokes, has expressed his profound disappointment following England's elimination from the T20 World Cup 2024. India defeated England by 68 runs in the semi-final on Thursday, securing their place in the final. Stokes shared his thoughts on England's performance and praised the Indian team in his statement to Sky Sports.

"Devastated watching last night, you know, devastated for Joss [Jos Buttler], Matty [Matthew Mott], and everyone involved out there—all the players and staff. It was not an easy road for them to get to the semi-final," Stokes said. 

"There was obviously a little bit to do with the weather which could have affected us, and a little bit of unwarranted criticism, which you always seem to get being an English team for some reason. But we got through to another major tournament semi-final, which is no mean feat with some seriously good teams out there."

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Ben Stokes heaps praise on India

Ben Stokes was gracious in defeat, acknowledging the Indian team's performance. "You've got to give credit to India, the way that they played in a big game. You've got to give credit to them, and it's going to be a great final to watch—two very good teams who're playing very good cricket."

Despite the loss, Ben Stokes remained optimistic about England's future. "Very disappointed for the team, but I think they can come back from the West Indies with their heads held high, knowing that they threw everything at India in that semi-final. It didn't go their way, but again, the team's progressing, and that's all you can ask for in team sport—making sure that you're always seeing progression. Getting to a World T20 semi-final is definitely part of progression, especially with how our last World Cup went out in India."

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The Men in Blue's dominating performance against England in the semi-final has now set the stage for an exciting final between India and South Africa. The much-anticipated match will take place at Kensington Oval in Barbados on June 29. The summit clash is scheduled to start at 8:00 PM IST. 

(With PTI inputs)