In his speech to his team-mates, Stokes said: “There’s something I know is going to happen over the next two days, which is going to be [that] this is my last two days as your captain, and my last two days as representing England.
“Reasons can wait [as to] why. But I’ve had many trips to the well before for this team, for you blokes, for people beforehand and I’ve got one more trip to do. The only thing that I ask, please, is can everyone else please just do the same?
“We’ve got a lot of hard work still to do, and the only thing that I want is to be able to walk off the end of that field, regardless of the result, knowing that I’ve had this group of men – and one lady [Sarah Taylor, the fielding coach] – give everything for the last two days.
“The only thing I want is just for everyone to give it, not only for me, selfishly, but also for this team and everything else that we’ve got going forward for you blokes. All the taps on the arse, all the emotion, all that kind of stuff, please can it just wait until the end of this game? Because we’ve still got a s—load more work to do, and I’ve got a s—load more work to do that I want to do.
“Let’s just go out there and f—–g give absolutely everything for another two days, alright? Because that’s my only intention and that’s where all my energy is right now. Got the emotional side out of it, but now it’s time to work. And everyone else, please just come with me.”