West Indies were defeated at the start to the Super Eight stage of the ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup when England waltz to an eight-wicket win at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in St. Lucia.
After the Caribbean team were put in to bat and opener Brandon King retired hurt on 23 in the fifth over, their final total of 180 for four from their allocated 20 overs were inadequate as England reach the required amount with 15 balls to spare.
An unbeaten 87 off 47 balls from Salt and 48 not out from Jonny Bairstow led a successful run chase for the defending champions.
Wicketkeeper Nicholas Pooran dropped Salt, on seven, off left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein in the third over with the England opener not yet fully into stride.
Powell tried Hosein, Romario Shepherd, Andre Russell, and Alzarri Joseph in the Power Play, but none of them could have taken a wicket, and England cruised to 58 without loss with Salt and fellow opener Jos Buttler.
Roston Chase got Buttler lbw for 25 on review in the eighth over as England struggled a bit reaching 83 for one at the halfway stage.
Andre Russell followed up with the scalp of left-hander Moeen Ali caught at deep mid-wicket for 13 in the 11th over, but Bairstow came to the crease with some resourceful batting.
In the 15th over, Bairstow conceded a four, a six, and a four off the first three balls off Hosein, but England still required 46 from the final five overs.
It all changed when Romario Shepherd, one of two changes to the West Indies line-up, delivered one of the most unremarkable over in his career and Salt hit him for three fours and three sixes to basically wrap up the contest.
Earlier, for the West Indies, Johnson Charles led the way with 38, Pooran hit 36, Powell blasted the same score in quick time, and Sherfane Rutherford closed with 28 not out.
But the problems for the Caribbean side started when King went down trying to blast Sam Curran. West Indies ended the Power Play on 54 without loss. Charles nor Pooran could find their hitting range and they limped to 82 at the halfway stage.
Charles was caught off Ali in the 12th over after a partnership of 52 with Pooran carried West Indies to 94 for one. Powell came to the crease and revived the innings with five sixes in his 17-ball knock.
He was caught at short third man off Liam Livingstone, and was one of three wickets that fell for six in the span of 12 balls and the big finish never materialised.
