England vs South Africa 2nd T20I Match Highlights: Phil Salt’s 141* powers England to record 146-Runs Win

England delivered a sentational performance to stun South Africa by a huge margin of 146 runs in the second T20I at Old Trafford, Manchester. After being asked to bat first, England scored a record 304/2 in 20 overs, the highest T20I total of all time. The wrecker in chief was Phil Salt, who starred with a destructive innings of 141* off only 60 balls, hitting 16 fours along with 8 maximums. Jos Buttler scored a quick 83 and Harry Brook finished with a 41*, leaving South Africa bewildered. Jos Buttler and Phil Salt went hard at the Proteas from the start. Their blistering partnership of 126 runs brought South Africa’s game plan to a heels in the powerplay. Salt was relentless, targeting both pace and spin, ensuring the momentum never dipped. Bjorn Fortuin picked up the two wickets to fall, dismissing Buttler and Jacob Bethell, but there was no respite for South Africa as Harry Brook joined Salt to keep the scoreboard racing beyond 300.

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England’s intent was clear, they wanted to stamp authority on the series. Their ability to maintain an incredible strike rate throughout the innings showed the depth and fearlessness in their batting line-up. Salt’s innings was one of the finest seen in T20Is, while Buttler’s leadership with the bat ensured England kept piling the runs. Even the experienced Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen had no answers, conceding heavily as England went past 300 for the first time in T20I history.

ENG vs RSA: South Africa tumble under score board pressure

In response, South Africa’s batting faltered under the enormous pressure of chasing such a gigantic total. England's premier pacer Jofra Archer drew first blood by removing Ryan Rickelton followed by youngster Lhuan-dre Pretorius, leaving the visitors reeling. Aiden Markram played a counter-attacking knock of 41, while Dewald Brevis tried to provide fireworks, but their resistance was short-lived. The scoreboard pressure proved too much, and wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals.

England’s bowlers kept things tight despite the cushion of runs. Archer was superb with three wickets, while Sam Curran and Liam Dawson chipped in with two apiece. Adil Rashid’s clever variations added further misery for South Africa as they were bundled out for 158 in just 16.1 overs. The 146-run victory is now England’s biggest-ever win in T20 internationals, a statement performance that underlined their strength in both batting and bowling departments.

CricketWinner’s Analysis

This was a performance that will make every team in world cricket sit up and take notice. While the batting heroics of Phil Salt and Jos Buttler stole the spotlight, England’s ability to maintain an unrelenting tempo across all 20 overs was staggering. However, while such dominance against South Africa is impressive, questions will be asked about whether this aggressive brand of batting can hold up under pressure against teams like India and Australia in crunch Asia Cup and World Cup matches.

For South Africa, this was an eye-opener. Their bowlers looked battered and lack of options against the power-hitting barrage, but the real concern is with the lack of application in their batting. Chasing 300 was a bridge too far, but a collapse within 17 overs for 158 suggests not only technical but mental deficiencies as well. Unless they work things out quickly, South Africa look like they could get whitewashed. For England, on the other hand, the combination looks perfect between an explosive batting line-up and a world-class bowling attack.