Ben Stokes has bagged the Professional Cricketers' Association (PCA) Players' Player of the Year award on Wednesday for his starring role in an unforgettable international summer that saw England claim their maiden ICC Men's Cricket World Cup trophy followed by a crucial draw in a fascinating home Ashes series against Australia. Stokes had won the young player award in 2013 and became only the sixth player to collect the PCA's top two male honours. Ryan Higgins, Dominic Sibley and Simon Harmer were among the contenders for the award.

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'It's hard to put it in words'

Stokes on receiving the award said, "It's hard to put it into words, I am over the moon that players think I am worthy of winning the PCA Players' Player of the Year through performances this summer. You can take a lot of personal pride when you receive this award because it's your peers that vote for you." 

"While this is an individual award, it is within a team sport so I am only in this position because of what other guys in our squad have achieved as well. What we have done as a team in 2019 is phenomenal, to win the World Cup and draw the Ashes has been a fantastic summer and something I am proud of personally and as a team," Stokes added. 

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Spectacular performances

The 28-year-old allrounders unbeaten 84 in the World Cup final and a fierce 135 not out against the Aussies in the Ashes has convinced the fellow teammates to vote him for the PCA player of the year.

Somerset batsman Tom Banton was named PCA Young Player of the Year, while England spinner Sophie Ecclestone won the NatWest Women's Player of the Summer.

Young player of the year Banton has been included in England's Twenty20 squad for the winter tour to New Zealand after scoring more than 1,000 runs across the two domestic limited-overs competitions.

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