Phil Salt’s Explosive Century Propel England to 8-Wicket Victory Over West Indies
Phil Salt’s scorching century and Saqib Mahmood’s career-best numbers helped England launch their five-match T20I series against the West Indies with a decisive eight-wicket victory.
With 3.1 overs remaining, England won the match and took a 1-0 series lead after chasing a difficult total of 183.
Key Performances and Match Scorecard
England 183 for 2 (Salt 103*, Bethell 58*) beat West Indies 182 for 9 (Pooran 38, Shepherd 35*, Motie 33, Mahmood 4-34) by 8 wickets
Match Analysis
Phil Salt, who has struck three T20I hundreds in the Caribbean, wowed with an incredible undefeated century. Salt scored 103* off just 54 balls to start the innings, combining strong power hitting with graceful strokes. Shamar Joseph’s 22 runs off a single over during his innings set the tone for England’s chase.
Salt reached his half-century in just 25 balls with nine fours and four sixes during his innings. With the help of Jacob Bethell, who put up a strong 58* off 36 balls, Salt made sure England easily chased down the mark. In front of the jubilant Barbados, the duo established an unbroken 107-run partnership for the third wicket, capping an unforgettable victory.
Saqib Mahmood had earlier had an outstanding performance with the ball, scoring 4/34, his highest T20I statistics. Early in the powerplay, Mahmood took two wickets in two balls in his following over after removing Brandon King. By the end of the powerplay, his pivotal discoveries had held the West Indies to 58/3.
Despite the initial defeats, Nicholas Pooran (38), *Romario Shepherd (35)**, and Gudakesh Motie (33), among others, helped the West Indies achieve a brief period of stability. West Indies reached a respectable total of 182/9 thanks to a late surge by Motie and Shepherd, who scored 49 runs for the ninth wicket.
In the chase, Salt wasted little time, smashing five straight boundaries off Joseph to help England reach the 50-run milestone in just four overs. From strong sixes to deft placements, including a masterfully timed punch behind point, his innings included a range of shots.
Bethell, who was just playing in his third Twenty20 International, was Salt’s ideal partner. He finished with a calm 58* after hitting a six over cover to register his first T20I fifty. With plenty of deliveries left, England easily won thanks to the pair’s dominance.
Despite Mahmood’s initial influence, the West Indies responded with a number of significant alliances. Motie and Shepherd’s quickfire stand provided late pyrotechnics after Pooran and Andre Russell added 39 runs off 26 balls.
They were unable to stop England’s relentless pursuit, though. Jamie Overton and Mahmood completed the innings, while Adil Rashid and Liam Livingstone contributed significant wickets in the middle overs.
