He ended as the leading run-scorer of the game.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Phil Salt was at his threatening best during the Vitality Blast 2025 fixture between Northamptonshire and Lancashire last night. While opening the innings, he played a fiery knock and stamped his authority again as one of the finest T20 openers in world cricket.
Salt scored 80 runs in 57 balls, including eight boundaries and four maximums, at a strike rate of 140.35. 70% of his runs came via fours and sixes, and Salt scored 44.19% of the team’s runs alone.
HS
145/9
PAL
103/10
MDS
143/5
MPS
141/7
Maiwand Champions won by 5 wickets
INA
–
PHL
–
SL
232/10
BAN
248/10
Bangladesh beat Sri Lanka by 16 runs
CCYMT
97/6
SOST
100/0
Sofia Stars beat CC Yullis-MU Trakia by 10 wickets
MAR
152/3
CCYMT
151/3
MUS Akademik Ravens won by 7 wickets
MAR
81/0
BSAS
77/9
MUS Akademik Ravens beat BSCU All Stars by 10 wickets
SOST
144/1
BMP
122/6
Sofia Stars beat BSCU – MU Plovdiv by 22 runs
BMP
155/7
MAR
176/0
MUS Akademik Ravens beat BSCU – MU Plovdiv by 21 runs
TBC
–
TBC
–
TBC
–
TBC
–
TBC
–
TBC
–
TBC
–
TBC
–
SCO-W
–
DGW-W
–
TYP-W
–
DGW-W
–
NED
161/3
JER
160/7
Netherlands beat Jersey by 7 wickets
GUE
122/9
ITA
127/3
Italy beat Guernsey by 7 wickets
GUE
–
SCOT
–
ITA
–
JER
–
ENGU19
308/10
INDU19
363/9
India U19 beat England U19 by 55 runs
SIN-W
25/4
INA-W
70/4
Indonesia Women beat Singapore Womens by 18 runs (D/L) method
Indonesia Women beat Singapore Women by 9 wickets
STCC
254/4
BNC
188/6
Stack CC beat Bader & Nie Cricket Club by 66 runs
MECS
–
TCC
–
THUO
114/9
MB
166/7
Malaysia Blues beat Thunderstorm Outlanders by 52 runs
MR
172/6
THUO
80/10
Malaysia Reds won by 92 runs
MR
–
THUO
–
MINY
142/9
LAKR
136/4
MI New York beat Los Angeles Knight Riders by 6 runs
SOR
–
TSKS
16/0
WAF
–
MINY
–
LAKR
–
SFU
–
ENGA-W
142/5
NZA-W
145/2
New Zealand Women A beat England Women A by 8 wickets
OAW
–
RWT
–
GER
145/5
ML
144/8
Germany beat Malawi by 5 wickets
BHN
–
GER
–
ML
–
TAN
–
ZIM
–
SA
–
AUS A
–
SL-A
–
PTS
95/3
BMB
89/8
Piton Strikers beat Bamboo Blasters by 7 wickets
WTS
122/6
CBG
114/6
Whiptail Smashers beat Calabash Giants by 8 runs
TBC
–
TBC
–
TBC
–
TBC
–
IDTT
–
DID
–
LAN
178/6
DER
136/6
Lancashire beat Derbyshire by 42 runs
SUSS
134/10
HAM
196/8
Hampshire beat Sussex by 62 runs
GLAM
–
KENT
–
DURH
–
BB
–
DER
–
YOR
–
HAM
–
SOM
–
NOT
–
LEI
–
NOR
–
WOR
–
GLO
–
MID
–
SURR
–
ESS
–
LAN-W
55/2
ESS-W
47/7
Lancashire Women beat Essex Women by 8 wickets (D/L) method
HAM-W
–
SOM-W
–
TBLZ-W
–
DUR-W
–
SUR-W
–
ESS-W
–
LAN-W
–
BRB-W
–
He struggled for fluency a bit at the start and could only score 26 runs in 23 balls at a tepid strike rate of 113.04 in the powerplay before breaking shackles and covering up for the slow beginning. In the next 34 deliveries, Salt raced away to 54 runs at a 158.82 strike rate to put Lancashire in a commanding position during the 178-run chase.
He stitched a big 123-run partnership with Jos Buttler and was pivotal in his team’s victory by five wickets. Salt ended as the leading run-scorer of the game, and his knock made the job easier for other batters, who completed the remaining job once he was dismissed.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru will have an eye on Phil Salt’s performances in various competitions, and they will likely retain him ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. He was instrumental in their title-winning campaign, providing rapid starts by utilising the powerplay in almost every game.
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He scored 403 runs at an average of 33.58 and a 175.98 strike rate in 13 innings, including four fifties, in IPL 2025. The most notable aspect of his batting was a healthy strike rate, for Salt ensured RCB had momentum right from the start and took pressure off Virat Kohli.
There were several matches where the pitch was tricky, but Salt’s blistering approach meant RCB got a fine start, easing other batters’ jobs. His contributions were immense, and RCB have no reason to release him after what he did for them last season.
If he comes into the auction, Salt’s value will be massive, and RCB might not get him again. It’s not a mega auction, anyway, and the defending champions can easily retain him at his original price of INR 11.50 crores for the next edition.
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Hindukush Strikers won by 42 runs