Phil Salt Smashes Consecutive T20I Centuries, England Crush West Indies in Record-Breaking T20
Phil Salt, stung by his IPL snub just hours ago, unleashed his fury on the West Indies bowlers, blasting a record-breaking century to lead England to their highest-ever T20 score and a thumping 75-run victory over West Indies in the fourth T20I.
The 26-year-old opener, overlooked at Tuesday’s IPL auction, unleashed a buccaneering 119 off just 57 balls, a knock that powered England to a mammoth 3-267, eclipsing their previous T20 best by 26 runs. The target proved insurmountable for the Windies, who despite a valiant effort, fell short at 192 all out.
Salt’s innings was a masterclass of power and precision. He cleared the ropes with ease, finding the boundary 10 times while peppering the ground with 13 fours. His knock wasn’t just about brute force, though.
He rotated the strike cleverly and partnered beautifully with Jos Buttler (55) for an opening stand of 117. Later, he combined with Liam Livingstone (54 not out) in a quickfire 73-run partnership that propelled England towards their record score.
Salt’s century wasn’t just a personal milestone; it was a defiant response to his IPL rejection. “It was probably a little bit of it, subconsciously,” he admitted.
“It was probably a little bit of it, subconsciously,” he said, before reiterating: “I’m very aware of how lucky I am to be here playing cricket.”
“It was a confusing morning. I expected to be picked up, having gone there last year and done well and after the year that I’ve had.”
After Phil Salt Assault, England Bowlers did a Good Job
England’s batting wasn’t the only highlight of the night. Reece Topley (3-37) led the bowling attack with a sharp spell, while young Rehan Ahmed bagged two wickets on debut. Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, and Chris Woakes also chipped in with wickets as the Windies’ chase faltered.
For the West Indies, Nicholas Pooran (39) and Sherfane Rutherford (36) showed glimpses of their talent, while Andre Russell provided late fireworks with a 25-ball 51. But it wasn’t enough to overcome England’s batting juggernaut.
The win sets up a thrilling decider in the five-match series. With both teams tied at 2-2, the final game promises to be a nail-biter. England, riding the wave of Salt’s epic century and their record-breaking score, will enter the match as slight favorites, but the Windies’ firepower can’t be underestimated.
England captain Jos Buttler was equally elated for this win with domination. He said, “You don’t play in too many of those games. It was like being at the Hong Kong Sixes. Great to be going into the last game of the tour at 2-2.”
