[WATCH] Ben Stokes Playfully Apologizes To Jason Roy After Shattering Record

England’s versatile player Ben Stokes playfully commented that he jokingly apologized to Jason Roy after surpassing Roy’s record for the highest individual score by an English batter in men’s One Day Internationals (ODIs).

Stokes delivered an outstanding performance, scoring an impressive 182 runs off just 124 balls during the third ODI against New Zealand at London’s Kennington Oval on September 13.

This extraordinary innings featured 15 fours and a whopping nine sixes, propelling England to a commanding total of 368 for the loss of 8 wickets in 48.1 overs. Stokes, who was named the Player of the Match, was asked about his reaction to breaking Roy’s record during the post-match presentation. He responded with a touch of humor, stating:

“I apologized to him upstairs” – Ben Stokes

In a more earnest tone, the 32-year-old shared the following thoughts regarding his innings:

“It felt good. Obviously, coming back into the team after a while. I’ve always said it’s nice to contribute towards winning games as well.”

Though Stokes relished batting on the pitch, New Zealand’s innings came to an end at 187 runs in 39 overs. The England all-rounder acknowledged that the conditions became more challenging for batsmen in the second half of the match.

Watch the Video Here:

"I apologised to him [Jason Roy] upstairs" 😅

Ben Stokes reacts to breaking the highest ODI runs record for England 💪 pic.twitter.com/VaF7bEXZ4x

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) September 13, 2023

He further added: “It was a good wicket. I think the conditions actually changed once the lights came on. I thought the ball was offering a lot. It was pretty obvious by the way that Woakesy and Topley bowled at the top. We spoke about putting New Zealand under a bit more pressure that we did in the first two games especially at the top,”

Chris Woakes and Liam Livingstone secured three wickets apiece for the England team, and Reece Topley managed to take two wickets. Meanwhile, in England’s innings, Stokes and David Malan collaborated in a formidable 199-run partnership for the third wicket. Malan, played a superb innings of 96 runs from 95 balls, striking 12 fours and a six before getting caught down the leg side from Trent Boult’s delivery. Stokes complimented Malan, saying:

“Malan is a very consistent player; he is a very quality player. He comes in and everyone knows what he is about. He was unlucky to strangle one there down the leg side, but enjoyed batting with him. Not only did we take the boundaries, but we managed to rotate the strike as well.”

The fourth and concluding One Day International (ODI) match of the series between England and New Zealand is scheduled to take place at Lord’s on Friday, September 15.

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