The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will face no disciplinary action from the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding the video that captured Ben Stokes informing teammates of his decision to retire from international cricket. The ICC had previously communicated with the ECB concerning the footage, which was filmed in the England dressing room and shared with broadcasters and on social media during a Test match.
The ICC's concern stemmed from potential breaches of the players' and match officials' areas (PMOA) standards, which are designed to support anti-corruption protocols. Article 2.2.11 of these standards stipulates that national cricket federations should ensure no video or recording equipment is set up within dressing rooms for broadcasting purposes. The ICC also reminded the ECB that any footage captured within PMOA must not carry audio and should not be released before a match concludes.
The footage in question was filmed prior to the fourth day of the third Test between England and New Zealand at Trent Bridge. The announcement was made public during play, a decision Stokes later explained was pre-arranged with his agents and the ECB.
Stokes himself responded humorously to reports of the ICC's inquiry, suggesting on social media that a staff member should be fired. The ICC's letter to the ECB was sent on July 4, and it is understood that the ECB has since responded, resolving the matter amicably. Neither the ICC nor the ECB have released official comments on the conclusion of the review. The Test match concluded the following day, marking the end of Stokes' international career.