England batsman Jason Roy after historic PSL knock: 'My best T20 innings'

England batsman Jason Roy after historic PSL knock: ‘My best T20 innings’
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England batsman Jason Roy after historic PSL knock: ‘My best T20 innings’

Highlights

  • Jason Roy smashed an unbeaten 145 off 63 balls
  • He helped Quetta Gladiators chase down 241
  • Gladiators defeated Peshawar by 8 wickets

England batsman Jason Roy has termed his historic 63-ball 145 in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) as his "best T20 innings."

Roy scored an unbeaten 145 during Quetta Gladiators' eight-wicket win over Peshawar Zalmi, which was a record highest individual score in the PSL. The thrilled opening batsman also stated that his innings will go down as "one of the greatest" in the shortest format of the game.

"This is my best T20 innings, no doubt about it. Obviously a great wicket and fast outfield, so it's just a case of trying to hit as many four and sixes and get close to the total target and see where we are at. I am sure this will go down for me as one of the greatest, and it will definitely live for a long time in my memory," Roy was quoted by ESPNCricinfo, as saying in a post-match interview on Wednesday.

"Anytime you are chasing over 200, and you chase that totally - doesn't matter what the pitch is - it's still an incredible feeling. In T20 cricket, this is my favourite-ever innings because I was there till the end. I think a lot of time when I am batting as an opening batsman, I could score a hundred and get out needing 20 runs, but tonight I was there till the end, which is an incredible feeling as an opening batsman," the English batter added further.

Roy struck 20 fours and five sixes en route the incredible knock, which broke Colin Ingram's record of 127 not out as the previous highest individual score in the PSL.

"Chasing 240, we knew that was probably out of reach to win convincingly, and by convincingly, I mean in 13 or 14 overs. In the change room, there is one of those things when you pad up, and all the fear of failure goes out of the window, and you go out and have a lot of fun."

"Batting with Martin Guptill, who has done it all around the world and got thousands of runs… we walked out there very relaxed. We didn't feel any pressure on our shoulders at all. On that wicket, with that crowd, it was electrifying and had a really good time," said Roy.

In the first innings on Wednesday in Rawalpindi, Peshawar captain Babar Azam scored a century. He hit 15 fours and three sixes in his knock of 115 off 65 balls. Roy praised the Pakistan batsman and also credited the track that saw team totals of 240 and 243 in the two innings.

"It's a great advert for PSL and T20 cricket. Obviously, bowlers don't want to be turning up and playing on these wickets every single game, but people watching these sorts of games, kids watching this game, this sort of stuff.

"I remember when I was a kid watching games like this, that really drew me to the game. So this is the sort of stuff that really draws the next generation of players. That was incredible to watch; unfortunately, it was against us. It's the sort of stuff I watch on TV, loads of time the way Babar plays. It was his eighth hundred and to watch it first-hand was extremely special," said Roy.

"He is a beautiful player to watch, and he was helped extremely well from the other end by his opening partner [Saim Ayub], a youngster coming through. To watch Babar first-hand was very special but he could have done with getting a little less to make it a little easier for us," Roy concluded.

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