Phil Salt produced an extraordinary unbeaten 141 from just 60 balls, smashing records and leading England to a colossal total of 304 for 2 – the third-highest in men’s T20 internationals – before bowling out South Africa for 158 to seal a crushing 146-run victory in Manchester.
England rewrote the T20I record books on a remarkable Friday night at Old Trafford as opener Phil Salt unleashed one of the greatest innings ever played in the format. His breathtaking hundred, reached in just 39 balls, became the fastest century by an England player and propelled the hosts to a mammoth 304 for 2 – their highest-ever T20I total and the third-biggest score in the history of men’s internationals.
Salt’s career-best 141 not out included eight sixes and 15 boundaries, eclipsing his previous top score of 119 and surpassing Liam Livingstone’s record for the fastest England T20 century by a single delivery. Alongside him, captain Jos Buttler hammered a blistering 83 off just 30 balls as the pair combined for a devastating opening stand of 126 inside the first eight overs.
The Proteas, already stunned by the batting onslaught, crumbled under scoreboard pressure and folded for 158 in the 17th over. England’s bowlers showed no mercy, with Jofra Archer taking 3 for 25, Sam Curran 2 for 11, Will Jacks 2 for 2, and Liam Dawson 2 for 34. Only captain Aiden Markram provided some resistance for South Africa, striking 41 off 20 balls before perishing.
The result leveled the three-match series at 1-1, setting up a decider in Nottingham on Sunday.
England’s 304 surpassed India’s 297 against Bangladesh in 2024 to become the highest total ever posted by an ICC full-member nation. Only Zimbabwe’s 344 against Gambia and Nepal’s 314 against Mongolia have ranked higher, both against weaker opposition.
Salt, visibly moved after his innings, admitted the magnitude of the achievement had yet to sink in. “I’m pretty lost for words,” he said. “I don’t think any team is going out there saying, ‘Right lads, 300 tonight.’ That’s a huge banana skin. But it’s definitely a record to break. I’ve played in IPL games where we went all the way and ended up on 270. To get past 300 in an international is a hell of an achievement.”
England captain Harry Brook, who finished unbeaten on 41 from 21 balls, echoed the sentiment. “We never thought anyone could get 300, but with the batting line-up we’ve got, there are not many heights we can’t reach,” he said.
Buttler, who looked set to snatch the record for fastest England T20 hundred before holing out for 83, received a rapturous standing ovation as he walked off. His fifty had come in just 18 balls, the third-fastest in England’s history, and his partnership with Salt was only the third time England had reached 100 inside the powerplay in men’s T20Is.
Salt continued the charge after Buttler’s dismissal, bringing up his century with a flurry of boundaries in a 23-run over bowled by Kagiso Rabada, who endured a nightmare evening. Rabada conceded 70 runs from his spell, the most by a South African in men’s T20 internationals, overstepping twice and sending down multiple wides.
Salt survived a scare on 126 when he was caught at long-on, only for fielder Kwena Maphaka to step on the rope and turn it into a six. By then, England were charging towards history, and a final flourish in the last over took them beyond the magical 300 mark.
South Africa coach Shukri Conrad was blunt in his assessment after the heavy defeat. “We need to be better than that. It was an abject performance, really not good enough,” he said.
For England, though, this was a night of unrelenting dominance, a statement to the world that their explosive batting unit remains unmatched on its day. With Salt now holding four T20I centuries – more than any other Englishman – and Buttler back to his destructive best, the message ahead of Sunday’s series decider is clear: underestimate England at your peril.
