England opener Phil Salt aims to become world’s best T20 batter ahead of World Cup

Phil Salt has his sights set on becoming the best T20 batter in the world as he bids to fire England to T20 World Cup glory.

Salt has arrived in Sri Lanka for a three-match T20 series ahead of England’s opening World Cup clash against Nepal in Mumbai on February 8.

The explosive opener has a superb T20 record for England and is second in the ICC T20 rankings behind Indian superstar Abhishek Sharma.

In 50 T20 internationals, Salt has four centuries, an average of 38.5 and a strike rate of 168.

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Career-best

The 29-year-old smashed a career-best 141 not out against South Africa at the end of last summer as England became the first Test team to score over 300 in a T20 match.

Salt admits that he is a huge fan of Sharma, who boasts an extraordinary strike rate just shy of 200, and is out to claim his spot as the best in the world.

“I really like watching him bat. (Catching him) is something that’s in the back of my mind,” Salt said.

“I’d like to catch him. I’d like to go past him in the rankings. That’s been my goal for a while, even when Suryakumar Yadav was number one.

“I don’t know what it is. The fact that Sharma can hit the first ball for six like that, the way he runs down the wicket…

“I’m never going to be him. He’s never going to be me.”

Pinnacle of his career

Salt has played in two T20 World Cups for England, collecting a winners medal in 2022, having played in the semi-final and final and helping the team to the semi-finals in 2024.

He ranks the T20 World Cup as the pinnacle of his career, having watched the 2010 trophy win in the West Indies as a kid.

“For me, the T20 World Cup has been the highlight of my international schedule and career, to be honest. I want to play in as many of these as possible,” he added.

“I think this is the tournament that stands above the rest, definitely.”

Challenge

While confident in England’s chances, Salt is wary of the challenge of beating co-hosts India.

“We’re not a team a lot of teams will want to play against, especially in a World Cup, in knockout cricket – I think we’re in a good place,” Salt said.

“I think everyone’s going to need a bit of luck to beat India – I think they are by far and away the strongest team in the World Cup.

“I am really excited by the idea that we get to come up against them in a World Cup in their backyard.”

Determined

Salt was out of the starting line-up for much of England’s 2022 triumph in Australia before not needing to bat in the semi-final win over India and making only 10 in the final victory over Pakistan.

That makes him even more determined to make his mark on the tournament and lead England from ball one.

“That’s a massive source of motivation for myself. Hopefully, I start this one in the team and put a stamp on it,” Salt added.

“I don’t want to hype it up in my own head. I don’t want to make it into a challenge that’s different to what it is.

“Hopefully, top the group and then deal with what’s to come.”

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