RAWALPINDI: Quetta Gladiators’ opener Jason Roy has dubbed his heroic knock against Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League League season 8 the ‘best T20 inning’ of his life.
On Wednesday, Quetta Gladiators pulled off the highest-ever run chase in the PSL history, thanks to a majestic batting show held by Roy, who scored 63-ball 145 to help his team chase a mammoth 241.
“In T20 cricket it is one of my favourite-ever innings,” said Roy in a post-match press conference.
“Because I was there till the end. A lot of times in limited overs where I am batting as an opener I get out after 100. But tonight I was there at the end which is an incredible feeling for an opener” he explained.
He elaborated that such high-scoring matches were great additions to the PSL and the T20 cricket as they would attract many more kids to the game.
“I remember as a kid watching these sorts of matches really drew me to the game,” he remarked.
Revealing what was going through his mind when Zalmi posted 240 on board, Roy claimed there was not any sort of pressure on him or his opening partner, Martin Guptill when they were walking out of the dressing room to chase the massive target.
“We walked out very relaxed. We didn’t feel any pressure on our shoulders” said Roy who went on to score his second century in the PSL – the only overseas player to do so.
Talking about the atmosphere in the ground while he was smashing every other ball out of the park, Roy said, “on that wicket, with that crowd, it was electrifying. Had a really good time”
“Anytime you are chasing a target over 200, no matter what the pitch is, it is still an incredible feeling” he added.
“It is my best T20 inning ever. Surely it will live a long time in my memory” he reiterated.
English batter, however, also praised Babar Azam and Saim Ayub for the way they set the tone of the game, adding it was a special feeling for him to watch the star Pakistan batter playing one his best T20 innings.
“It’s the sort of stuff I used to watch on TV lots of times and to watch it first hand it was extremely special,” he maintained.
“He’s (Babar) a beautiful player to watch and helped extremely from the other end with his opening partner.”
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