London (Sports Desk): The International Cricket Council (ICC) has decided not to take any action against the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) over the controversial video related to England Test captain Ben Stokes' retirement.
According to details, Ben Stokes announced his retirement from Test cricket after the conclusion of the third Test against New Zealand. The video related to the announcement was recorded in the England dressing room before the start of play on the fourth day of the Trent Bridge Test and was later released by broadcasters and on social media during the match.
The ICC had written to the ECB regarding the matter, pointing out that releasing video and audio recorded in the dressing room before the completion of a match could fall under a violation of regulations related to the Players and Match Officials Area. These rules have been implemented to protect anti-corruption protocols.
According to reports, after the matter came to light, Ben Stokes responded on social media in a humorous manner by writing "Sic him."
The ICC sent a letter to the ECB on July 4; however, after the board's response, the matter was resolved through mutual agreement.
Although no official statement has been issued by either the ICC or ECB, reports suggest that the global cricket body has decided not to proceed with further action.
According to Ben Stokes, the timing of his retirement announcement was decided after consultation between his agents and the ECB.
Interestingly, immediately after announcing his retirement, Ben Stokes dismissed New Zealand's Zak Foulkes with his very next delivery, while his international Test career officially concluded with the end of the match the following day.