Phil Salt reveals crucial advice from assistant coach Kieron Pollard after match-winning knock against West Indies at ICC T20 World Cup 2024

Phil Salt blasted 87* off 47 balls against West Indies in Barbados in their Super 8 encounter.

After taking England to a thumping 8-wicket victory over West Indies in their Super 8 clash of the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2024, opener Phil Salt revealed the discussion he had with Kieron Pollard, England’s assistant coach for the tournament.

In the chase of 181 in St Lucia, Salt hammered seven fours and five sixes in his match-winning display that got England a convincing victory in their first Super 8 match.

After securing England the victory, Salt revealed the important advice he received from Pollard about the ground dimensions of the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium and the specific boundaries to target.

At this venue, the square boundary towards the grass banks is quite shorter – measured at 63 metres -compared to the longer boundary towards the Johnson Charles Stand, measured at 72 metres.

Phil Salt benefitted from Kieron Pollard’s knowledge about the stadium and conditions in St Lucia

Salt had the knowledge of this and played accordingly, using it to his advantage. He tonked 60 runs off 25 balls on the shorter square boundary while scoring 27 off 22 balls toward the longer square boundary.

The England opener had gained this knowledge through fruitful discussions with Pollard, who had linked up with the England squad as their assistant coach for this tournament. England had hired Pollard ‘to provide expertise of local conditions.’

About his chats with Pollard, Salt said, “We’ve spoken a lot about taking 8s from one side to take 12s from the other – and that’s 200.”

He added, “It sounds so simple to say it, but [it was about] putting that into action. I knew I had slowed down. I knew I hadn’t got much strike, but I knew that if I just got through that period, we would be in a good position and I could have a good dip, [take a] good calculated risk at the seamers.”

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