A rampant Phil Salt was in top form for England in their demolition of South Africa in the 2nd T20I of the three-match series at Old Trafford, Manchester. England posted a record score of 304/2 in 20 overs, posting their maiden 300-plus score. This was also the 3rd time a team scored 300-plus runs in T20Is after Zimbabwe and Nepal. The man of the moment was Phil Salt, who ended up being unbeaten on 141 from just 60 balls. He posted the fastest T20I hundred for England (by balls). This was also his 4th T20I hundred.
England run riot in Manchester
Being asked to bat, Salt and Jos Buttler attacked from the word go and added 126 runs in no time. The pair added 100 runs in the powerplay, registering England’s highest score in the PP overs. Buttler then perished for 83 runs in the 8th over. Salt continued to demolish the visitors, adding a solid stand with Jacob Bethell. The two helped England get past 200 as Salt completed a 39-ball century.
After Bethell got out, skipper Harry Brook joined Salt and the two helped England breach the 300-run mark. The duo added an unbeaten 83-run stand. Brook ended with a score of 41* from 21 balls.
Thereafter, the hosts bowled the Proteas out for 158 in 16.1 overs to win by a margin of 146 runs. Jofra Archer picked a three-fer and was the pick of the bowlers.
The Salt demolition
Salt was terrific from the very beginning and smashed the first three balls he faced for fours. He hit another six in the first over off Marco Jansen. What Buttler did, Salt too matched the veteran. Salt brought up a 19-ball fifty after Buttler had got to a fifty off 18 balls. Salt continued in the same tempo throughout the innings.
His 141* from 60 balls had 15 fours and 8 sixes. Salt, who hit his 4th hundred, became the 1st Englishman with a T20I hundred against South Africa.
Salt records the fastest hundred for England
Salt’s 39-ball ton saw him surpass Liam Livingstone’s 42-ball effort against Pakistan in Nottingham, 2021, as per ESPNcricinfo. Livingstone’s 103 from 43 balls wasn’t enough as England lost to Pakistan by 31 runs.
Dawid Malan is next, having hit a 48-ball century against New Zealand in 2019. Malan ended up scoring 103* runs from 51 balls in England’s 241/3.
England batters with fastest tons in T20Is (by balls)
- Phil Salt – 39 balls vs SA, Manchester 2025
- Liam Livingstone – 42 balls vs PAK, Nottingham 2021
- Dawid Malan – 48 balls vs NZ, Napier 2019
- Phil Salt – 48 balls vs WI, Tarouba 2023
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