England Vs South Africa, 2nd T20I: Who Won Yesterday’s ENG Vs SA At Old Trafford – See Results

Phil Salt struck England's fastest and highest T20 century, leading the team to a commanding 304-2 total and a smashing 146-run win over South Africa on Friday, September 12, 2025, in Manchester. England recorded their biggest T20 victory by runs at Old Trafford, achieving the third-biggest men's total ever in T20 international cricket. Salt's unbeaten 141 and Jos Buttler's 83 resulted in South Africa's most significant T20 defeat by runs.

Salt And Buttler's Record-Setting Partnership

Phil Salt remained unbeaten on 141, scoring his fastest and highest T20 hundred for England. Jos Buttler contributed 83 runs. Salt's 141 not out and Buttler's 83 guided England to their formidable 304-2 total, which included 18 sixes and 30 boundaries.

Salt clobbered the game’s first three deliveries to the boundary off Marco Jansen before Buttler soon overtook him. Buttler's fourth consecutive boundary brought up his fifty in just 18 balls, making it England's third fastest half-century.

Salt and Buttler crashed 100 runs in the powerplay with a ball to spare, marking only the third instance of such a feat in men's T20 cricket. Buttler, on 83 from 30 balls, had Liam Livingstone’s record for England’s fastest T20 century (40 balls) in his grasp but hit straight to a fielder at deep square leg at 126-1 in the eighth over, prompting Old Trafford to rise to applaud.

Salt reached his fifty in 19 balls. However, Salt then broke Livingstone's record by one ball, completing his century in 39 deliveries. This was Salt’s fourth T20 hundred for England; no other Englishman has more than one, and only Glenn Maxwell and Rohit Sharma (with five each) have more overall T20 hundreds.

Salt’s century came in a 23-run over bowled by Kagiso Rabada, who overstepped twice and bowled wide twice during the over. Salt passed his and England's highest T20 score of 119 from December 2023, and survived being out caught on 126 because Kwena Maphaka stepped on the rope at long-on, giving up Salt’s sixth six. England reached the 300-run mark in the last over, helped by another no-ball from Rabada.

South Africa's Chase Falters Under England's Attack

South Africa commenced their chase with initial resolve, reaching 64-3 after the powerplay. Captain Aiden Markram scored a team-high 41 off 20 balls before his dismissal in the eighth over, at which point the outcome became clear. The Proteas lost their last wicket in the 17th over, all out for 158. They suffered their heaviest T20 loss by runs, and this victory marked England’s biggest T20 win by runs.

Jofra Archer took 3-25, Sam Curran returned figures of 2-11, and Will Jacks claimed two wickets at the death. Kagiso Rabada conceded 70 runs, which became the most by a South African bowler in men’s T20s.

England Vs South Africa: Records Shattered

England's 304-2 total is recognised as the third-biggest men’s T20 total ever. Only Zimbabwe’s 344-4 against Gambia in 2024 and Nepal’s 314-3 versus Mongolia in 2023 were higher. The total surpassed India’s 297-6 against Bangladesh in 2024, which previously held the record for an ICC full member. Salt finished on 141 not out from 60 balls, hitting eight sixes and 15 boundaries. Harry Brook was with him on 41 off 21 balls.

Salt expressed his satisfaction to broadcaster Sky Sports, saying, “That was really good fun. A personal milestone, but the fact we got 300 and won by such a big margin, I can’t have asked for much more.”

England captain Harry Brook added, “With the batting lineup we have got, there are not many heights we can’t reach. Every must-win game we have now, leading to the T20 World Cup, is awesome preparation for us.”

The three-match series now goes to a tiebreaker this Sunday in Nottingham.

(With AP Inputs)