Salt hits 87 as England defeat West Indies by 8 wickets

Phil Salt thrashed a brilliant 87 not out off just 47 balls as defending champions England romped to an eight-wicket victory over the West Indies in their T20 World Cup Super Eight clash on Wednesday.

Salt smashed seven fours and five sixes during a swashbuckling innings at the Daren Sammy National Stadium in St. Lucia while Jonny Bairstow hit an unbeaten 48 as England finished on 181-2 off 17.3 overs after earlier restricting the West Indies to 180-4.

Player of the Match Salt effectively sealed victory after cutting loose in the 16th over, hammering 30 runs off West Indies bowler Romario Shepherd with an exhibition of power-hitting that included three sixes and three fours.

The win marked an emphatic return to form for England, who laboured through the first round group phase and flirted with elimination at one stage.

“We’re not looking too far ahead, just glad to contribute to the win,” Salt said after his match-winning knock.

The England opener praised the contribution of Bairstow, who kept the runs flowing and took the pressure off Salt at the other end.

“There are a lot of different factors that can affect an innings,” Salt said. “There was a period where I did not face a lot of balls, but important to stick around and carry on.

“Jonny was fantastic, and took pressure off me by taking calculated risks. I couldn’t be happier as a team-mate.”

England’s other runs came from 25 from skipper Jos Buttler while Moeen Ali added a brisk 13.

– Credit to Salt –

West Indies skipper Rovman Powell lamented his team’s bowling performance.

“We needed a better display as a bowling group,” he said. “We are generally good in the last five overs. The execution wasn’t good. Credit to Salt, he always hurts us.”

Earlier, a disciplined English bowling performance had held the West Indies to a relatively modest total of 180 in the Group 2 clash of two-time T20 champions.

After England won the toss and opted to bowl, the West Indies made a smooth start with openers Charles and Brandon King in control.

Even after King retired hurt for 23 in the fifth over, the runs continued to flow, with Johnson Charles forming a handy partnership with Nicholas Pooran.

The West Indies reached the halfway stage of the innings at 82-0 and looked poised to put up a commanding total.

But England spinner Moeen Ali finally made the breakthrough after Charles was caught in the deep by Harry Brook for 38 off 34 balls in the 12th over.

West Indies captain Powell threatened to cut loose after blasting five sixes in a quickfire 36 off just 17 deliveries.

But after bludgeoning Liam Livingstone for three sixes in the 15th over, the English bowler got his revenge with the final delivery, tempting Powell into a top edge which was snagged by Mark Wood at short third man.

That left the score at 137-2, and Pooran fell soon afterwards, caught behind by skipper Jos Buttler off Jofra Archer to leave the Windies wobbling on 141-3.

Andre Russell fell for one off Adil Rashid to make it 143-4, before an unbeaten 28 from Sherfane Rutherford gave the West Indies a more competitive total.