Roy ruled out of T20 World Cup; Vince named replacement

Scans on Sunday confirmed he would be unable to recover for the knockout stages

Scans on Sunday confirmed the tear and it became clear that he would be unable to recover in time to play a part in the knockout stages.

“I’m gutted to be ruled out of the World Cup,” Roy said. “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.”

England could replace Roy with Vince in a like-for-like swap but appear more likely to bring Sam Billings – an unused squad member – into their middle order, promoting either Jonny Bairstow or Dawid Malan to open. They will also consider bringing in a seam-bowling allrounder as Roy’s replacement – either David Willey or Tom Curran – to bat at No. 7 or 8.

Roy’s loss will be hard felt by a side already missing four first-choice squad members through injury or unavailability in Ben Stokes, Sam Curran, Jofra Archer and Tymal Mills. Eoin Morgan, England’s captain, said after the game against South Africa that Roy was “unbelievably important” to the squad.

“He’s a guy who epitomises everything that we are about in the changing room and the way we play,” Morgan said. “You see how commanding he is at the top of the order… he’s as close as we get to surmising how the changing room should play. We’re gutted for Jase but also half-hoping that he’s OK. For anyone to miss the latter stages of a tournament – particularly when it’s been too guys in two games – that does hurt the mood [in the dressing room].

“You got through the names that either aren’t here through injury or other reasons: Archer, Stokes, Sam Curran, Tymal… You look back at the times that you’ve really explored and tried to build a squad, and I’m sitting here thankful that we have done that because we’re going to need those guys in the next game and possibly in the final.”