Jason Roy’s innings is the new talk of the town

RAWALPINDI: As the fans in Rawalpindi and across the country continued to talk about the blistering match-winning ton by Jason Roy (145 not out) of Quetta Gladiators against Peshawar Zalmi in a crucial Pakistan Super League (PSL) match, the Englishman rated his knock as the best he has ever played in T20 cricket.

Roy clobbered 20 fours and five sixes in a 63-ball blitz as the Gladiators chased down an improbable 241 for the loss of two wickets with 10 balls to spare to keep his side’s slim chances of qualifying for the play-offs alive.

“It was one of my greatest innings as I enjoyed my cricket to the fullest during my stay at the wicket. It is the best ever innings I have played in T20 cricket. I enjoyed every moment of my stay at the crease. When we landed at the crease we did not feel any pressure, we knew we can make it if we play to our potential at the end we achieved the target well before the 20th over. I would rate the innings as the best ever and my favourite T20 innings. This innings will stay in mind for a long time. The best thing about my innings is that I stayed till the end ensuring that my team goes on to win and stay in the competition. Staying there till the end has an incredible feeling.”

Roy added that he missed a few games for the Gladiators in between because of his national team duty but reached in time to play a crucial match for his team. “Good to be back in time for such. It was incredible to see the team chasing down such a big total. With one game left, I hope that Quetta will make it to the knockout stage.”

“This is the sort of game I remember as a kid that really drew me to cricket and the people. For sure, this is the sort of stuff that excites, draws and attracts the next generation of players,” Roy said at the post-match press conference late Wednesday evening.

Roy became the highest individual scorer in PSL, beating Colin Ingram’s 127 not out for Karachi Kings against Quetta Gladiators in 2019, as the Gladiators completed the fourth-highest T20 chase of all time. Roy’s 44-ball century was the second quickest in PSL history after Rilee Rossouw’s 43-ball century for Multan Sultans against Quetta Gladiators in 2020. The match aggregate of 483 runs was the highest in HBL PSL history as well as in Asia, and the seventh highest overall.

“It’s an incredible, incredible feeling. For me in T20 cricket, it’s up there as one of my favourite innings ever because I was there till the end. A lot of the times when I’ve batted in limited overs as an opening batter, I have scored a 100 and then I got out with 20 or so runs still required. But tonight, I was there till the end, which is an incredible feeling as an opening batter. Definitely, this innings will live in my memory for a long time.

“We knew chasing 240 convincingly in 13 or 14 overs was probably out of reach. So, it was just a case of trying to hit as many fours and sixes as possible on a great wicket and fast outfield.”

“In the change room, it was just one of those things that you've got to pad up, all the fear of failure goes out of the window and you just have a lot of fun with Martin Guptill, who has done it all around the world and scored thousands of runs. We walked out there very relaxed. We didn’t feel any pressure on our shoulders at all. And on that wicket with that crowd, it was electrifying.

“It has been a tough season for us and we’ve not been able to put together the performances we would have wanted to, but we've got a great group of people and they do a lot for me. So, I’m just really pleased I was able to put a performance together to put some smiles on their faces.”

Roy heaped a lot of praise on Babar Azam, who scored 115 off 65 balls with 15 fours and three sixes at a strike rate of almost 177 but still ended up on the losing side. It was Babar’s eighth century in T20 cricket, second most after Chris Gayle (22).

“That was an incredible (innings) to watch, unfortunately, it was against us. It’s the sort of stuff I’ve watched on TV loads of times, but to watch it firsthand was extremely special.

“Babar was helped extremely well from the other end with his opening partner (Saim Ayub), a youngster coming through. So, to watch it firsthand was very special, though he could have done with getting a little less to make it easier for us!

“It made for an incredible game of cricket, one that I'll remember for the rest of my life, for sure.”

Even Babar during his press talk praised Roy for his outstanding innings.

“Credit must go to Roy for playing such exciting cricket. I think next time we have to score 280 to win a match. But the truth is we did not bowl well which turned out to be a real difference in the end. We never bowled to the line we were required to bowl in wake of such a big total.”

Babar said there was nothing wrong with the wicket. “In T20 you have to bowl well to win matches. Sadly we did not bowl well. All praise on Saim for giving me big support at the start of the game. In the end it was Roy who made the difference. He never allowed us to stay in the match. His innings was outstanding in all definitions of the game,” Babar said.

He added that 240 runs was not a small total but it was Roy’s day and more over a bad day for Peshawar bowlers.