England’s Phil Salt bats during the men’s T20 World Cup match against the West Indies at the Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in Gros Islet, St Lucia. (AP Photo)
Phil Salt blasted 87 runs off 47 deliveries to drag England to an eight-wicket victory over the West Indies at Gros Islet, St Lucia in their Super 8 clash on Thursday.
Chasing a target of 181 runs, England needed 40 runs from 30 balls when Salt faced Romario Shepherd in the 16th over and plundered 30 runs off the six balls. Thanks to the explosion from Salt, England strode home to victory with 15 balls to spare. Jonny Bairstow made an unbeaten 48.
How Phil Salt scored 30 runs off one over
15.1, FOUR!: Phil Salt gets to his 50 in style after dispatching a fuller ball from Romario Shepherd outside off over the covers for a boundary on a bounce.
15.2, SIX!: Romario Shepherd bowls a half-volley right in front of the stumps. Phil Salt responds by slapping the ball over the bowler’s head for a massive hit over the fence.
15.3, FOUR!: Romario Shepherd now attempts a slower one which is also bowled slightly above the shoulders. Phil Salt reads the change of pace well, awaits the ball’s arrival and then ramps it over the slip cordon for a boundary.
15.4, SIX!: Romario Shepherd again tries to take the pace off the ball to deprive Phil Salt off oxygen to get distance on his shot. The ball is on off, but right in Salt’s arc. The England batter moves his front foot and tonks the ball straight for a six.
15.5, SIX!: Another slightly slower ball. Still no respite for Romario Shepherd. The ball is bowled short, on the leg side. Phil Salt rocks to one side and pulls the ball over deep backward square leg for a maximum.
15.6, FOUR!: Romario Shepherd bowls a low full toss outside the off stump and Phil Salt punishes it by lifts it over covers for a boundary. 30 RUNS IN ONE OVER.
Nine balls after this over ended, England were home. This is West Indies’ first loss of the tournament and their first defeat in eight Twenty20 internationals.
Salt was the destroyer-in-chief for England, first linking up with Jos Buttler for a 67-run opening partnership and then combining with Bairstow.
“I’m not looking too far ahead at the minute, just glad that I could contribute to a good team win,” Salt said after being awarded the Player of the Match. “It was a little bit tougher in the middle overs with the spin.”
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