England face punishment from ICC following Ben Stokes retirement video against Black Caps

Thursday, 9 July 2026

England may have broken ICC rules by releasing the video of Ben Stokes announcing his retirement from international cricket to his team-mates before the third Test against New Zealand had concluded.

The ICC has contacted England alleging that publishing the dressing-room footage during the hours of play was in contravention of its rules for players and match officials at international matches. Those rules state that there should be 'no fixed or temporary video cameras or other recording equipment set up within the dressing rooms used by the teams for the purpose of broadcasting video or audio footage'.

Stokes's shock announcement was made public at 3.25pm on the fourth day of the final Test at Trent Bridge having been recorded before play started, but cricket's governing body had previously informed the ECB that any footage shot within the players and match officials area - which includes the dressing rooms - cannot be released before the end of the match.

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Players and officials are required to hand in their phones before play each day as part of anti-corruption regulations, although selected people are allowed phones or cameras within the dressing-room areas, including the ECB's social media personnel and press officers and the team's medical staff. However, they are not allowed to release audio or video footage while the match is in progress - as it was when the Stokes video was put out on social media, the day before England slumped to a 160-run defeat.

The recording of players in the dressing room is allowed for release at a later date. This footage was put out on the ECB's social media channels and website as part of Stokes's mid-match retirement announcement, which was orchestrated by his management team and the ECB when the former England captain was bowling. His first delivery after the news spread around the ground brought the wicket of New Zealand's Zak Foulkes.

The ECB has not commented on the allegations. It is likely it would receive a reprimand, warning or fine.

The Times understands that no decisions about the futures of Rob Key, England's managing director of men's cricket, and Brendon McCullum, the head coach, will be made until after this month's white-ball series against India.

– The Times, London