Ben Stokes’ two-word response over ECB’s possible anti-corruption rule breach during retirement test

Ben Stokes has made light of the possible anti-corruption rule breach by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) during his final Test match as England captain.

The ECB released a video, filmed inside the England dressing room, of Stokes telling his England teammates about his decision to retire and they released it alongside the news of Stokes’ retirement at 3.25pm on day four of the game against New Zealand with Stokes’ team on the field.

England went on to lose the game and the series to the Kiwis as Stokes’ decision to step away from the top form of the game dominated the rest of the match.

Since then, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has written to the ECB about the video accusing them of breaching rules related to Test cricket’s anti-corruption code.

The news was reported and shared by The Telegraph on their X, formerly Twitter, account and Stokes replied to the article with a two word response: “Sack him ...”

The ICC’s wrote to the ECB over concerns that publishing the video of Stokes mid-Test contravened its standards for players’ and match officials’ areas (PMOA) at international matches. The PMOA exists to support the anti-corruption code and rules.

Article 2.2.11 of the PMOA minimum standards states governing bodies should “ensure that there are no fixed or temporary video cameras or other recording equipment set up within any dressing room used by the teams for the purposes of broadcasting video or audio footage”.

According to the BBC, the ECB received their letter last Saturday with a reminder that “the global governing body (ICC) had also previously informed the ECB any footage shot in the PMOA must not carry audio or be released before the conclusion of a match.”

Sack him … https://t.co/LYQ5ZlYqDE

— Ben Stokes (@benstokes38) July 9, 2026

The decision to release footage of Stokes in the dressing room on the morning of day four at Trent Bridge is not expected to be punished but is a reminder to the ECB and England over the standards they need to maintain.

Stokes’ light-hearted jibe on social media comes as speculation over his successor continues to grow with England’s one-day captain, Harry Brook, the current favourite to take up the role.