Says Kane Williamson more deserving of the award than him
Despite being born in New Zealand, England’s Ben Stokes was the topic of controversy after the Brits won the World Cup off of a superior boundary count, and after on overthrow was given to New Zealand because the throw hit his bat. That particular instance brought England back into the race for World Cup title. And now, after all this, he has also been nominated for New Zealander of the Year.
The 28 yer-old cricket player was born in Christchurch but moved to England when he was 12. His parents would move back to New Zealand and the rest, as they say, is history. It was his maiden World Cup and would score 473 runs with an average of 66+. The Kiwis did not shun Stokes but acknowledged him as one of their own. He single-handedly snatched victories from and won Man of the Match. Only a handful of players have done this including Clive Lloyd, Viv Richards, and Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
New Zealand nominates “inspirational Kiwis” who have made a significant contribution to the country and made their nation proud. Speaking about Stokes’ nomination, chief judge Cameron Bennett said that “although he wasn’t playing for New Zealand in the World Cup but was born in Christchurch and has Maori ancestry, he is still considered a candidate.
Stokes replied “I am flattered to be nominated for New Zealander of the Year. I am proud of my New Zealand and Maori heritage but it would not sit right with me to be nominated for this prestigious award. There are people who deserve this recognition more and have done a lot more for the country of New Zealand.” He would, however, say that Kane Willamson was more deserving of the award than him.
“I have helped England lift a World Cup and my life is firmly established in the UK – it has been since I was 12-years old. I feel the whole country should align their support to New Zealand captain Kane Williamson. He should be revered as a kiwi legend… He led his team in this World Cup with distinction and honor. He was the player of the tournament and an inspirational leader of men. He shows humility and empathy to every situation and is an all-round good bloke. He typifies what it is to be a New Zealander. He would be a worthy recipient of this accolade. New Zealand, fully support him. He deserves it and gets my vote.”
Ben Stokes' performance was one of the reasons why England won the ICC Cricket World Cup. This major cricket event only takes place once every four years. To find out more about the different cricket leagues, visit Betwala's page.
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