Ben Stokes has said that England’s achievements in 2019 “managed to do more for the sport” than the success of England’s Ashes-winning team in 2005.

Talking on the Rajasthan Royals Podcast, Stokes, who won the 2019 BBC Sports Personality of the Award for his on-field heroics last year, said: “Cricket has obviously always been a big sport in England but I really feel that 2019 put cricket as close as it’ll ever come to football. One of the great things I feel with that team, is that team members will able to look back and feel like they were a part of something so special.

“To be honest, in my opinion, it (2019) eclipsed 2005 in terms of what we managed to do for the sport. 2005 was massive, it was a long time ago but it took cricket (in this country) to a whole new level, but I think we managed to take it to another level here.”

The World Cup final attracted a peak audience of 4.5 million viewers on Channel 4 as live international cricket appeared on free-to-air television for the first time since 2005. When Sky’s figures are also included, around eight million people in the UK watched the climax of the World Cup final.

After the World Cup, Stokes was England’s star player in the 2-2 home Ashes series against Australia, scoring hundreds at Lord’s and most memorably, Headingley.

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