BAN vs ENG 2023: Phil Salt expresses disappointment after failing to convert starts into big scores

After the first T20I between Bangladesh and England, Phil Salt looked frustrated after he failed to play impactful innings for his team. In the game, Bangladesh succeeded in thumping England by six wickets. Riding high on Najmul Hossain Shanto’s 51 runs that came off only 30 deliveries. Earlier, Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan won the toss and invited the visitors to bat first. 

Salt had an opportunity to impress his side by delivering a solid knock with his bat. With his skipper Jos Buttler, the opener delivered a decent start to the team with his steady knock of 38 off 35 but he couldn’t make it big after falling to Nasum Ahmed on the last delivery of the tenth over. 

The 26-year-old, who broke into T20I cricket in 2022, has played 14 matches for his national side and has accumulated only 283 runs in 13 innings with a below-par average of 23.58. The fierce England opener is looking forward to reserving a berth in England’s ODI squad for the 2023 World Cup to be held in India later this year. However, his performance in the recently concluded three-match ODI series against the Bangla boys is making his entry difficult. In the first T20I, he had a chance to gain his form by playing a superb knock for his team but couldn't do that.

"I've had four hits are here so far, and got two starts," Salt iterated while discussing about his scores of 12 and 7 in the first two ODIs in Dhaka. "Those are the most frustrating ones for me, because you want to be the guy that goes on to win the game. That's the mark of a world-class player, someone who takes the game on by themselves and wins it. So, it's frustrating, but I know it's not far away," the English batter told ESPNCricinfo.

Talking about his team’s unsuccess to put up a huge score on the board, Salt further added "We know that we could have ended the innings better. In T20 cricket, when you lose wickets in successive balls it always hurts, having two new batters at the crease. But that's part of the game. On another day, we finish and get 180. Today we couldn't get that,” the opener stated.

"The surface got a little bit better as the game went on, and the lights kicked in. The Bangladeshi team's knowledge of the conditions really gave them a step in the right direction today," Salt continued.

Phil Salt heaped praises for his captain Jos Buttler

England captain Jos Buttler looked in rhythm with his 67 off 42. Except for him, no one had a blast with the bat. However, Phil Salt, who started finely could have reinforced the team in batting. Salt said that they both understand each other’s game very well. Hailing his skipper, he also called him one of his favourite opening partners. 

"We've batted together now for a couple of years in the Hundred," Salt talking about Buttler as his Manchester Originals and Lancashire teammate. "So I know his game very well, and he knows mine. To be honest, he's probably one of my favourite opening partners. He's got so many different options, his skill level is so high," the 26-year-old further mentioned.

Phil Salt also called his captain the best around in the longest form of white-ball cricket. "In white-ball cricket around the world at the moment, he is the benchmark with the bat. He is the best around, so I think everybody wants to emulate him," the stumper-batter concluded.

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