Salt fires England to dramatic chase of 223

Phil Salt’s stunning century helped England pull off their third-highest T20 international chase as they beat West Indies by seven wickets in the third T20 in Grenada.

Salt brought up his first T20 international hundred off 51 balls and finished unbeaten on 109, with Harry Brook smashing the 21 runs needed off the final over to ensure England chased 223 with a ball to spare in an incredible win.

Nicholas Pooran’s 45-ball 82 led West Indies to 222-6 as Adil Rashid finished the pick of the England attack by taking 2-32.

England are 2-1 down in the five-match series with two left to play.

Pooran walloped six sixes and six fours as West Indies recovered from 8-2 to post a formidable total.

The wicketkeeper enjoyed stands Shai Hope (26) and skipper Rovman Powell (39) before he holed out to Salt at long-on off Sam Curran with 2.1 overs remaining.

That did not spare England at the end of the innings, though, as Sherfane Rutherford (29) and Jason Holder (18*) continued the fireworks.

Nicholas Pooran pulls through the leg-side•Dec 16, 2023•Getty Images

Salt and Buttler both passed fifty as they put on 115 for the first wicket to give England hope, with Salt, who hit nine sixes and four fours, continuing the brutal hitting after his captain was out for 51.

England needed 31 to win off the final two overs but Joseph held his nerve in the penultimate over as he conceded only 10 to give the hosts the upper hand.

But Brook, who was seven from two balls faced heading into the final over, calmly hit a four and two sixes off the experienced Andre Russell’s first three balls to put England on the brink of victory.

He and Salt then ran two before Brook flashed at a wide one from Russell and it flew over the boundary at deep third. (BBC)