Phil Salt who scored back-to-back T20I hundreds in the second and the third T20I against West Indies went unsold at the IPL 2024 auction. By his admission, he was left confused as he failed to understand the reason why none of the franchises were interested in buying him.
Salt who is a specialist T20I player for England scored 109 in third T20I and 119 in the fourth T20I against West Indies to level the series at 2-2. The final T20I will now be played in Trinidad on December 21.
Phi Salt’s terrific 119 took England to 267/3 after they were sent into bat first by the Windies. He added a 117-run stand with Jos Burrler (55) his skipper that laid the platform for that massive score. West Indies despite their best efforts were bowled out for 192 as they lost the match by 75 to take the series to the decider.
Also Read: How Much Do England Cricket Players Make?
Salt who hit seven fours and 10 sixes during his match-winning knock spoke about him going unsold in the IPL 2024 auction. He played for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2023 and scored 217 runs in nine matches at an average of 27.25 and a strike rate of 163.91 with two fifties.
One Of Those Things: Phil Salt After Going Unsold At IPL 2014 Auction
“It was a confusing morning,” Salt said in the moments after he’d scored a second consecutive T20I hundred for England against the West Indies. “I expected to be picked up, having gone there last year and done well and after the year that I’ve had, but these things happen. It’s part of the lottery of an auction, it happens in draft processes as well. There’s a few lads in our dressing room who are going to have a very good Christmas and I’m over the moon for them. I was a bit confused but it can happen. There’s no bad cricketers on the list at the IPL. It’s one of those things” said Salt after his match-winning knock against the Windies.
By the time Salt scored his second consecutive T20I ton, he was already unsold at the auction. After the game, he said that the sequence of events played its part in Salt playing a magnificent innings and helping his team to win and level the series.
“It was probably a little bit of it, subconsciously. I’m very aware of how lucky I am to be here playing cricket. I’m playing good cricket, I’m doing what I came out here to do. More importantly than that, the boys have really pulled together and shown what a good team we are. The West Indies are a very good side that we’re playing against so to win back-to-back games and force the decider in a couple of days’ time, I’m chuffed,” he said.
The England keeper-batter struck 19 sixes in the last two games, 10 of which came during the fourth T20I. Salt said that he was working on his six-hitting skill over the off-side.
“I’ve worked specifically on hitting sixes over the off-side. I’ve always been good at hitting the sight screen and going over the leg-side. When Jason Holder took the pace off wide and I hit it over the offside, something Jos said to me was ‘teams can’t bowl to you’. That’s an area I’ve been working on for a good while so it’s good to see it’s working,” he said.
The fifth and final WI vs ENG T20I will be played in Trinidad on December 21.
Also Read: IPL 2024 Auction: “Over The Moon” – Travis Head After Joining Sunrisers Hyderabad
