adminNEW DELHI. — Dashing opener Jason Roy pledged that England would come out “all guns blazing” in Sunday’s World Twenty20 cricket final as they look to complete their head-spinning transformation from cricket’s laughing stock to champions.
Just one year ago, England were licking their wounds after an ignominious exit from the 50-over World Cup in which they failed to beat any team apart from minnows Scotland and Afghanistan.
But after crushing New Zealand in Wednesday’s semi-final in New Delhi, Eoin Morgan’s England are now only one step away from becoming the first two-time world champions in the game’s shortest format.
New Zealand’s bowlers had no answer as Roy raced to 78 off 44 balls at the top of the order, rapidly taking the game away from a team that won all four of their previous matches in the tournament.
England were widely ridiculed for their demise in 2015, which came a year after their embarrassing exit from the last World T20 in Bangladesh culminating in a tame defeat to the Netherlands.
The turn-around has been remarkable, with England ironically seeking to emulate the more aggressive style of cricket that was pioneered by New Zealand under their former captain Brendon McCullum.
Players such as Roy, Joe Root and Ben Stokes have come to epitomise what Morgan has called a “brash” new style of play that has seen England score more sixes than any other team in the tournament.
Sunday’s final in Kolkata will pit England against the winners of yesterday’s second semi-final between the hosts India and a West Indies side who beat England at the group stage.
“Whoever it is, we will meet them with all guns blazing,” Roy told reporters, after England cruised to their target of 154 with nearly three overs remaining.
“We had a lot of negative feedback from a few people and to be in a world cup final now has hopefully got a few more people on our side.” — AFP.
Online Reporter