Buttler had scored his country’s previous two fastest ODI hundreds, but the record of 61 balls was obliterated as he flayed the Pakistan attack, finishing with eight sixes in his unbeaten 116 in the final one-day worldwide in Dubai.
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“You sit there and wonder why today it’s clicked”.
Buttler has now compiled England’s three quickest ODI hundreds, this latest effort comfortably surpassing his 61-ball ton against Sri Lanka last year that previously represented a record.
“You still train as hard as you’ll ever train”.
Eoin Morgan earlier won the toss for the third time in the series, and once again chose to bat first, a decision rewarded by a fifty partnership between England’s openers.
“Our goal is obviously a World Cup in four years’ time, but there’s no use thinking about that right now”, said Bayliss.
Buttler went from 50 to 100 in only 16 deliveries, and struck 10 fours and eight sixes in total. “We’ve all seen Jos perform like that – we don’t expect it every day but certainly it’s a special day for Jason Roy”.
With only their third one-day series win since February 2013 under their belt, Morgan has said there is cause for celebration, but also feels there is still a long way to go.
He said: “With the ball, we’ve a lot to work with, and tonight (Friday) summed that up – we continued to take wickets but couldn’t stem the flow of runs”. “It’s great having talent and being a young group but we do need to win and we’ve come here and done it. The confidence it gives the dressing room and the group of guys, you can’t underestimate that”.
Buttler said: “It was immensely satisfying to come back to this ground, after being dropped in the Test series, and enjoy my best day in an England shirt”.
Trevor Bayliss, England’s head coach, said: “I’m not sure I’ve got the words for what I saw tonight”.
This was not indiscriminate slogging – it was the flawless storm of clean hitting and innovative trick shots, but it all added up to glorious carnage.
Morgan will have been delighted with the manner in which his unchanged side for the entire series responded and learned after their heavy defeat in the first ODI.
He was promoted up the order – coming in with England 194 for two in the 36th over – and repaid the faith shown in him by hitting boundary after boundary as he quickly took the game away from Pakistan.
“An old mate of mine, an Australian selector a few years ago, said to me “there’s nothing like a good dropping to get a player back on track”.
“Their skills are starting to show on a more consistent basis”.
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He made 44 of just 32 balls before top edging one of Willey’s short pitched ball.
