Salt's second successive T20I hundred powers England to record total
England opener Philip Salt has become the second batter, among full-member team players, to smoke successive T20I tons. He accomplished the milestone on Wednesday in the fourth and penultimate game against West Indies. He racked up 119 off 57 balls (7 fours, 10 sixes). This is the highest individual T20I score by an Englishman as the Brits posted their highest T20I score (267/3).
A fiery knock from Salt
Batting first in Trinidad, England were off to a fine start with openers Salt and Jos Buttler (55) adding 117 runs. The former continued to bat well after Buttler's departure and breached the three-figure mark. He recorded 50-plus stands with Will Jacks (24) and Liam Livingstone (54*) before getting dismissed in the 19th over. His brilliance powered WI to a 75-run triumph.
Salt joins Rilee Rossouw on this list
Salt, who scored a match-winning 109* in his preceding outing, became the second full-member team batter with successive T20I tons. He has joined South African dasher Rilee Rossouw on this elite list. The southpaw accomplished the milestone last year. France's Gustav McKeon is the only other batter to score successive T20I tons.
Highest individual score for England in T20Is
As mentioned, Salt's 119 is now the highest individual T20I score by an England batter. He went past Alex Hales (116* versus Sri Lanka, 2014) in this regard. Salt has also become the first England player with multiple tons in the format. Hales, Dawid Malan, Liam Livingstone, and Buttler are England's only other centurions in T20I cricket.
5,000 runs in T20 cricket for Salt
In 20 T20Is, Salt now owns 601 runs at 35.35. The tally includes two tons and as many fifties. His strike rate reads 165.56. Salt also completed 5,000 T20I runs en route to his ton. Having played 215 games, the wicketkeeper-batter has now raced to 5,098 runs at an average of 26.41. The tally includes 32 fifties and a couple of tons.
England's highest T20I score
As mentioned, England posted 267/3 in their allotted 20 overs. This is now their highest T20I team total. Their previous highest total of 241/3 came against New Zealand in November 2019. Meanwhile, England now own the second-highest T20I total among full-member teams. Only Afghanistan are ahead of him in this regard, having posted 278/3 against Ireland in February 2019.
