Phil Salt and Jos Buttler delivered a masterclass in power-hitting at Emirates Old Trafford, rewriting the record books and leaving South Africa reeling during the second T20 International on September 12, 2025. England’s opening pair put on a show that was equal parts audacious and historic, propelling their team to a mammoth total of 304 for 2—a figure that stands as the highest ever by an England side in T20 cricket. On a night when everything seemed to click, Salt’s unbeaten 141 from just 60 balls and Buttler’s blistering 83 off 30 set the tone for a contest that quickly slipped away from the Proteas.
For Salt, the evening was especially sweet. Not only did he notch his fourth T20 hundred—no other Englishman has more than one—but he also recorded England’s fastest century in any format, reaching three figures in a mere 39 deliveries. The right-hander’s innings was a ruthless display of intent, as he dismantled the South African attack with a flurry of boundaries, including a trio of fours and a last-ball six in Marco Jansen’s opening over. Buttler, for his part, matched Salt’s early aggression, ensuring the powerplay yielded a staggering 100 runs without loss—the highest ever for England.
The synergy between Salt and Buttler was unmistakable. Despite neither being a guaranteed opener at the start of the summer—Salt had taken paternity leave during the West Indies series, while Buttler had been stationed at number three since the 2024 T20 World Cup semi-final defeat to India—fate and squad rotation brought them back to the top. The result? A 126-run opening stand, the 12th century partnership by England openers and their third as a duo. Their chemistry, honed across stints for England, Lancashire, and Manchester Originals, shone through as they rotated strike seamlessly and attacked with purpose.
Salt, reflecting on the partnership, credited their defined roles and mutual understanding for their success. "We've got pretty set roles. It's my job to get us off to as good a start as soon as possible and give Jos the opportunity to take a couple of balls, because when he does, he goes on and gets a match-winning score, a lot of the time, a lot more than anyone else," Salt explained. "When one of us needs to get the other back on strike, we don't often need to communicate out there. There's no ego or anything like that, we just do it and I think that's a massive part of a good opening partnership."
Buttler was equally effusive in his praise, singling out Salt’s explosive starts: "I think Salty's one of the best players of the first ball and first over." The numbers back him up—Salt’s strike rate in the first over of T20 internationals is an eye-watering 144.80, nearly 20 points ahead of his nearest rival among international batters. Salt’s approach is deliberate, too; he keeps a close eye on his "balls per boundary" metrics, seeking to maximize impact from the outset. Even after a golden duck in the rain-affected first T20I in Cardiff, Salt’s confidence and attacking intent remained undimmed.
The contrast between Salt’s fortunes in Cardiff and Manchester was stark, but he’s philosophical about the ups and downs of T20 cricket. "T20 can be a little bit fickle, as we saw at Cardiff," Salt admitted. "But it is about enjoying being there for as long as you can at the crease, especially for England. More than anything else, it’s just a will to impact the game. I want to take games as deep as possible while still batting at a high strike-rate. The two don’t often go hand-in-hand but that is the end goal. I’m someone who’s always looking at ways to get better. The goal is to be right up there – I want to be the best in the world at this."
Salt’s ambition is matched by his numbers. With a T20 strike rate of 169.5—bettered only by India’s Abhishek Sharma among batters from Test-playing nations—Salt has established himself as one of the most dangerous openers in the game. His method, forged from early career conversations and a desire to offer something unique, is simple: attack from ball one. "From quite early in my career, I looked at that and if I can be the most dangerous in the first six, 10, 15 balls of the game, that’s quite a unique tool. Failures happen, that’s T20 cricket especially. But it’s just about something you can hold on to, run with and see where you can take it," Salt reflected.
England’s management, with an eye on next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, now faces an enviable dilemma. The Salt-Buttler partnership has delivered nine fifty-plus stands in 17 innings together, averaging a formidable 60.43—second only to the short-lived but prolific pairing of Buttler and Alex Hales. With Jamie Smith and Ben Duckett having impressed during Salt’s paternity leave, competition for top-order spots is fierce. Yet, the case for continuity is compelling. As one observer put it, persisting with Duckett and Smith would be "a failure to acknowledge something more tested and far superior." Duckett could slot in at number three, a move that would bolster England’s options against spin-heavy attacks expected in the subcontinent, while Smith’s time may come with further experience.
Salt’s return to the side was not preordained. When asked if he’d sought assurances about his place after missing the West Indies series, Salt replied, "That would probably be quite an arrogant thing in professional sport to ask for a guarantee on a spot on an international side. I don’t think it quite works like that. But England were very good to me at that point in time. My wife was giving up a lot in my career, made a lot of sacrifices, so for me to be there for those first two weeks when my son was born, it was a no brainer." The humility and perspective underpinning Salt’s approach have only strengthened his resolve to keep improving.
South Africa, missing key bowlers Lungi Ngidi and Keshav Maharaj, were left searching for answers. Head coach Shukri Conrad didn’t mince words, describing the onslaught as leaving his side "bereft of ideas." But for England, the message was clear: their most explosive opening duo is back in business, just in time for the biggest stages.
With the series set to conclude at Trent Bridge and the T20 World Cup looming, England’s top order looks as formidable as ever. If Salt and Buttler can maintain their synergy and relentless aggression, England fans have every reason to dream big. The evidence, laid out in the record books and in a dazzling display at Old Trafford, is impossible to ignore.
