T20 World Cup: Roy ruled out due to injury, Vince named as replacement

Dubai : England opener Jason Roy has been ruled out of the remainder of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Roy had sustained a calf injury while running for a single in the fifth over of England’s chase of 190 and retired hurt on 20 in their 10-run defeat to South Africa in its last Super 12 match in Sharjah on Saturday. Roy limped off the field, aided by an England support staff member, and was unable to put any weight on his left leg.

After scans on Sunday confirmed a tear on Roy’s calf, It is a big blow for England ahead of their semi-final against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.

James Vince, who was included as a travelling reserve, will replace Roy in England’s squad. The Event Technical Committee of the tournament has approved of Vince being Roy’s replacement. Roy is the second player after left-arm pacer Tymal Mills to be ruled out of the mega event for England.

“I’m gutted to be ruled out of the World Cup. It is a bitter pill to swallow. I will be staying on to support the boys, and hopefully, we can go all the way and lift that trophy. It has been an unbelievable journey so far, and we have to continue expressing ourselves and concentrating on us. The rehab has already started, and even though I’ve torn my calf, I’m going to give myself the best chance of being ready for the T20 tour of the Caribbean at the start of next year,” said Roy in a statement by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Monday.

Roy had scored 123 runs in five matches at an average of 30.75 in the tournament. He also earned a Player of the Match award with a 38-ball 61 in England’s eight-wicket win over Bangladesh. This is the second time that injury has com’ in Roy’s way in a World Cup. In the 2019 Cricket World Cup, a left hamstring injury forced Roy to miss three matches. But he recovered in time to feature in the rest of the tournament.