Salt replaces injured Malan in England squad for Pakistan T20

By
AFP
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Welsh-born Salt, 22, has also played for Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League.—File photo

LONDON: Uncapped Sussex batsman Phil Salt has been added to England's squad for Sunday's Twenty20 international against Pakistan following Dawid Malan's withdrawal through injury.

Middlesex's Malan suffered a groin problem while batting during England's unconvincing four-wicket win away to Ireland in a lone one-day international on Friday and will now miss the one-off T20 in Cardiff.

Welsh-born Salt, 22 has made just the four fifties in 35 T20 matches but a strike-rate of 151.50 has put him on the radar of England's selectors.

This season Salt made an unbeaten 137 off just 106 balls for Sussex against Kent in the 50-over One-Day Cup.

Salt, who spent part of his childhood in Barbados, has also played for Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League.

Salt joins a growing list from players outside England's provisional squad for the 50-over World Cup to be called up in the early stages of the international season.

Just seven those who travel to Cardiff's Sophia Gardens were named in last month's preliminary 15 by the tournament hosts. Several others have been rested, rotated, or, in the case of Alex Hales, dropped. The Nottinghamshire batsman reportedly failed a second test for recreational drug use.