England rewrote the numbers on Friday night. Their 304 for 2 was the highest T20I total by an England side and the third biggest in history. Salt’s unbeaten 141 from 60 balls, the fastest century by an England batter coming off 39 deliveries, turned the evening into a demolition.
The boundaries barely stopped. England racked up 30 fours and 18 sixes, a staggering 228 runs in boundaries alone. Jos Buttler hammered 65 off 24 in the Powerplay before Salt took over, flaying South Africa’s bowlers at will. The home side now goes into Sunday’s decider with the series level at 1-1 and momentum firmly in their corner.
For South Africa, it was carnage. Kagiso Rabada leaked 70 runs, Lizaad Williams 62, and Marco Jansen 60. All three were returning from injury; none will remember it fondly. Extras didn’t help either, with eight wides and five no-balls adding to the mess.
The chase was doomed from the outset. Aiden Markram hit 41 from 20, Bjorn Fortuin chipped in 32 from 16, but the target of 305 was science fiction. South Africa were bundled out for 158 in 16.4 overs.
Jofra Archer, back after sitting out the first game, was in the thick of it. He played a hand in the first three wickets, claimed one himself, and pulled off multiple catches in the deep. Sam Curran, mixing his slower “moon balls” with sharp change-ups, finished with 2 for 11 in two overs, while Will Jacks struck twice in his only over.
England’s margin of victory was their biggest in T20 internationals. Salt’s fourth T20I hundred put him alone at the top of England’s charts. A batter in blistering touch, a bowling attack in full sync, and a series perfectly set up for Sunday.