Phil Salt has set his aim on becoming the leading Twenty20 batter in the world as he prepares to play a central role in England’s World Cup campaign.
Salt has arrived in Sri Lanka for a three match Twenty20 series ahead of England’s opening World Cup fixture against Nepal in Mumbai on February 8.
The opener carries one of the strongest records in international Twenty20 cricket and sits second in the ICC rankings behind India’s Abhishek Sharma.
Across 50 Twenty20 internationals, Salt has four centuries, an average of 38.5 and a strike rate of 168.
The 29 year old produced the best innings of his career at the end of last summer, striking 141 not out against South Africa as England became the first Test nation to pass 300 in a Twenty20 match.
Salt admits he closely follows Sharma, whose strike rate sits just under 200, and has set his sights on overtaking him.
“I really like watching him bat. (Catching him) is something that’s in the back of my mind,” Salt said.
“I’d like to catch him. I’d like to go past him in the rankings. That’s been my goal for a while, even when Suryakumar Yadav was number one.
“I don’t know what it is. The fact that Sharma can hit the first ball for six like that, the way he runs down the wicket…
“I’m never going to be him. He’s never going to be me.”
Salt has featured at two Twenty20 World Cups for England. He was part of the title winning squad in 2022, playing in the semi final and final, and helped England reach the last four again in 2024.
He views the tournament as the peak of his international career, having watched England lift the trophy in the West Indies in 2010 as a child.
“For me, the T20 World Cup has been the highlight of my international schedule and career, to be honest. I want to play in as many of these as possible,” he said.
“I think this is the tournament that stands above the rest, definitely.”
Salt believes England are well placed heading into the competition but accepts the scale of the challenge posed by co hosts India.
“We’re not a team a lot of teams will want to play against, especially in a World Cup, in knockout cricket. I think we’re in a good place,” Salt said.
“I think everyone’s going to need a bit of luck to beat India, I think they are by far and away the strongest team in the World Cup.
“I am really excited by the idea that we get to come up against them in a World Cup in their backyard.”
Salt played a limited role in England’s 2022 success in Australia, missing much of the tournament before not batting in the semi final against India and scoring 10 in the final win over Pakistan.
That experience has sharpened his desire to influence this campaign from the outset.
“That’s a massive source of motivation for myself. Hopefully, I start this one in the team and put a stamp on it,” Salt said.
“I don’t want to hype it up in my own head. I don’t want to make it into a challenge that’s different to what it is. Hopefully top the group and then deal with what’s to come.”