For nearly seven years Bangladesh had not lost a home series in a format they appeared, albeit in very specific and familiar conditions, close to mastering. It has taken only two games for England to end that run, with the Tigers’ chances of chasing a daunting target of 327 – Jason Roy this time the tourists’ key figure with the bat – in effect destroyed when Sam Curran ripped through their top order with three wickets in his first seven balls. They eventually fell short by 132 runs, precisely Roy’s personal contribution.
After a similarly impressive effort in Bloemfontein in January, this was Roy’s second century in five ODI innings (though he scored a combined 14 in the other three) and was further indication that reports of his demise as a white-ball batter of international class have been greatly exaggerated.
