Ben Stokes reveals home burgled by masked gang while on Pakistan tour

Ben Stokes, the captain of the England Test cricket team, revealed that his home was broken into this month while his wife and two kids were inside, as he was on a tour in Pakistan.

Stokes was participating in the second Test match in Multan when the break-in occurred. Although his family was not physically hurt, Stokes mentioned that the incident has affected their emotional well-being and mental health.

In a social media update, Stokes shared: "On the night of Thursday, October 17, a group of masked individuals broke into my house in the Castle Eden area of the northeast. They took jewelry, various valuable items, and a significant number of personal belongings. Many of these items hold great sentimental value for me and my family and cannot be replaced."

"We are reaching out for assistance in locating those responsible for this incident. The most distressing part of this crime is that it happened while my wife and our two young children were at home. Fortunately, my family was not physically harmed."

It's completely natural that this experience has affected their emotional and mental well-being. We can't help but ponder just how much more difficult things might have turned out.

Stokes has shared photos of various stolen belongings, including the OBE medal he was awarded in 2020 for his contribution to England's World Cup victory the year before. Among the other items displayed are a handbag, a ring, and several necklaces.

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Stokes stated, "While we have lost valuable belongings, I want to make it clear that my primary reason for sharing these photos isn't to get back the things that were taken. It's to help catch the individuals responsible for this theft."

He urged anyone who has useful information to reach out to the Durham police and expressed his gratitude for their exceptional assistance. "They are putting in tremendous effort to locate these individuals."

The 33-year-old captain made his comeback from a hamstring injury in Multan after being sidelined for four Tests, which included England's historic win at the same location in the opening Test. Just a day after the burglary incident, he played and scored 37 runs off 36 balls, but England ended up losing by 152 runs.

Stokes had a tough time scoring in the last Test and didn't bowl in Rawalpindi as his team lost the series, marking their second defeat since he took over as captain in 2022.

After the series loss, England's head coach Brendon McCullum remarked that Stokes was feeling the pain from a challenging tour. He noted that the all-rounder's efforts to regain fitness for the series might have impacted his performance as captain.

"That was a pretty serious injury," McCullum remarked. "He really had to put in a tremendous effort to recover. Being the determined athlete he is, he commits fully to whatever he takes on. He had to work hard, and sometimes that can affect your judgment, not necessarily in a negative way, but it might make you a bit less focused when making decisions. He’s feeling let down, but he’s our captain, and we all recognize his resilience."

Stokes has been included in England's 16-player team announced on Tuesday for the upcoming three-Test series in New Zealand, kicking off at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on November 28.