England Cruise to 1-0 Series Lead Over West Indies as Phil Salt Shines with Blistering Ton
Phil Salt’s blistering third Twenty20 international century propelled England to an emphatic eight-wicket victory over West Indies, securing a 1-0 series lead for the tourists. The 28-year-old, who hails from the Caribbean island of Barbados, crunched six sixes and nine fours in his 53-ball knock of 100, invigorating an England team that has struggled in white-ball cricket of late.
Despite locals at the Kensington Oval voicing their displeasure at the lack of Barbados players in the West Indies lineup, it was Salt and his fellow Bajan Jacob Bethell who proved to be the stars of the show. Bethell, too, played a crucial role, scoring a 32-ball 50 to provide the perfect foil for Salt’s pyrotechnics.
“It’s always special to come back home and perform in front of the fans, even if they’re not cheering for me,” said Salt. “I’m just glad I could contribute to a crucial win for the team.”
England’s white-ball form has been a cause for concern since their T20 World Cup triumph two years ago, with the team losing 12 of their previous 20 matches against Test-playing nations. However, the return of captain Jos Buttler from a calf injury, coupled with a crucial toss win, seemed to rejuvenate the visitors.
Buttler himself contributed with a couple of stunning catches, while teammate Saqib Mahmood shone with the ball, claiming four wickets for 34 runs to restrict West Indies to 182 for 9. Although the home side fought back with some late-order fireworks, England’s solid start with the bat proved decisive, with Salt’s sensational innings guiding the team to victory with 11 balls to spare.
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