OTD 2019 Jason Roy’s whirlwind knock decimates Bangladesh in ODI WC

Jason Roy has turned out to be one of England’s best limited-overs batters in the last five years, having successfully proved his mettle as an opener by helping the Three Lions get off to brisk starts with his amazing power-hitting abilities.

Roy has showcased match-winning performances with his blistering batting and also has the potential to shred any bowling attack into pieces once he is well set. However, he seemed to be in prime form during the 2019 World Cup that was played in England & Wales and one of those impactful knocks came on this very day three years ago.

When Jason Roy’s blistering knock left Bangladesh shell-shocked

England faced Bangladesh in the league fixture of the 2019 World Cup in Cardiff, Wales. Eoin Morgan & Co. had a score to settle against the Asian side after they had knocked out the Three Lions humiliatingly from the previous edition of the quadrennial event in Adelaide.

Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Mortaza won the toss and elected to bowl. Nonetheless, the decision backfired instantly as Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow helped England get off to a brisk start with a 128-run opening stand before the latter was dismissed for 51. Even though the other batters that followed went on to play impactful knocks, it was Roy who single-handedly took care of the innings and demoralized the Bangladesh bowlers with his aggressive strokeplay.

The South Africa-born cricketer brought up a magnificent century after which he was on the fifth gear as England’s scoring rate only got higher in the slog and death overs. Roy was dismissed after playing a whirlwind knock of 153 runs from 121 deliveries at an outstanding strike rate of 126.44, which included 14 fours and five sixes. The destructive knock powered England to a mammoth 386/6.

The total would eventually prove to be well beyond Bangladesh’s reach, but veteran all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan single-handedly took matters into his own hands with a counter-attacking innings. Unfortunately for Bangladesh, once the southpaw was bowled by Ben Stokes for 121, it was curtains down for them and they were bowled out for 280 in the penultimate over. England won this contest comprehensively by 106 runs and Jason Roy was adjudged the Player of the Match for his destructive knock. Roy would also go on to score a match-winning century in the semifinal at Birmingham, which knocked the then defending champions Australia from the competition.