"Everything about this place...": England batter Salt returns to his once-home Barbados

Bridgetown [Barbados], June 4 (ANI): England opener Phil Salt was one of those thousand of fans in attendance when England lifted their maiden ICC T20 World Cup back in 2010 at Barbados, which was also the Three Lions' first major white-ball title. Salt, who moved to Barbados as a kid, was eligible to play for either England or West Indies as an emerging player, but he chose the Three Lions' badge and now returns to the place that played a major role in his cricketing development as his team locks horns with Scotland to open up their title defence.

The hard-hitting opener will be leading the English top order along with stars like skipper Jos Buttler, Will Jacks and Jonny Bairstow.

"Everything about the place suits me," he said as quoted by ICC.

"Pretty laid back, a lot of cricket, a lot of sport and I have still got a lot of friends on the island," he added.

Salt was part of England's T20 WC winning squad back in 2022 at Melbourne. Just last year, he became the first-ever English player to have hit back-to-back T20I tons, both against West Indies. In 23 T20Is and 22 innings, he has scored 697 runs at an average of 34.85 and a strike rate of 166.74, with two centuries and two fifties. His best score is 119.

Salt is coming into the tournament after being a part of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) title-winning team this year in the Indian Premier League (IPL), scoring 435 runs at an average of 39.54 and a strike rate of 182.00 in 12 matches, with four half-centuries. His best score was 89*.

Despite being a witness to England's first title win back in 2010, Salt never thought of representing the team in his wildest dreams.

"I watched England here, watched them win it," he said.

"I think every kid in the crowd would have gone, that is going to be me one day, or I would like that to be me one day, but you never believe it. So now to be here in an England shirt, with the opportunity to do something special in the next month is incredible really."

"I got a touch of the trophy that day. That is the thing that always sticks with me when I think about that day," he concluded his point.

Growing up as a fan of England batter Craig Kieswetter and West Indies legend Chris Gayle, Salt admitted that he would emulate them and watch their videos on YouTube.

"When I was a kid, anybody who hit the ball hard or kept, I would watch them on YouTube and just try and try and emulate them," said Salt.

"I want to be the person winning more games for England. There is a bit of a way to go, but that is absolutely the goal. We are here to win," he concluded. (ANI)