Phil Salt reflects on maiden T20I century: "It feels like it's been a long time coming"

Salt finished unbeaten on 109 from 56 deliveries, including four fours and nine sixes, as England chased 223 with one ball to spare to keep their five-match T20I series with West Indies alive

Elizabeth Botcherby | 16/12/2023 at 22:14

Phil Salt believes his runs have been "a long time coming" after scoring his maiden T20I century to help England defeat West Indies by seven wickets in Grenada.

The result keeps the five-match series alive, with England trailing 2-1 with two matches to play.

Harry Brook stole the limelight at the death, scoring 31 runs off just seven deliveries to see England chase 223 with one ball to spare, but it was Salt who was England's backbone, finishing unbeaten on 109 from 56 deliveries.

His knock included four fours and nine sixes while his 116-run opening stand with captain Jos Buttler, which came off just 69 balls, laid the foundations for victory.

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^{Salt celebrates his century [Ashley Allen/Getty Images]}

Salt is the fifth player to score a century for England in a men's T20I, joining Alex Hales, Dawid Malan, Liam Livingstone and Buttler, and he was just eight runs shy of passing Hales (116 not out versus Sri Lanka in 2014) for the highest individual score.

In his previous 18 T20Is, Salt had scored 373 runs but had only passed 30 in five of his 17 innings, including two half-centuries.

"It feels like it's been a long time coming in an England shirt, so it's special to do it now, especially with [West Indies] being able to take the series today," Salt said.

"There's a way to do it. You can't get 40 off 20 and then take 10 off 10 balls – it changes the whole complexion of the game. It's about playing my game, doing it my way and more than anything, it's about the role I have in the partnership with Jos, freeing him up to play as he does because he's one of the best in the world."

Salt revealed his inning was inspired by West Indies batter Shai Hope, who scored 109 not out off 83 balls in the first ODI as West Indies chased 326 to complete a four-wicket win.

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^{Salt's knock was inspired by Shai Hope's century in the first ODI [Ashley Allen/Getty Images]}

"We've been talking as a group about someone standing up and being a match-winner," he continued.

"We saw Shai's knock in Antigua. He stayed composed for so long and that was the difference. We were talking about someone in our side having the exact same mentality, trying to get it down to 60 or 70 off the last five and that's what we did. Brooky came in and played a hell of a knock at the end."

Buttler, who scored a half-century of his own at the top of the order, praised Salt's intent, adding: "Great to keep the series alive, a fantastic win. Any time you chase over 220 is a fantastic effort.

"Hats off to Phil Salt, that's a brilliant innings and to bat all the way through, to be not out at the end, is something we spoke about after the last game, so full credit to him.

"He's got such great intent from ball one. That's something we've asked him to do and he always plays that way."