Phil Salt to Miss T20I Series Against West Indies for Paternity Leave
Phil Salt's Absence from T20I Series
London [UK], June 6: England's right-handed batsman Phil Salt will be absent from the upcoming T20 International series against the West Indies due to paternity leave, as reported by a sports news outlet.
During the IPL 2025 season, Salt returned home after his team, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), triumphed over Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Qualifier 1, securing a spot in the final. He rejoined his teammates early Tuesday morning, just in time for the final match.
After an 18-year wait, the Rajat Patidar-led RCB celebrated their first IPL title, clinching victory with a narrow six-run win against the Punjab franchise at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, thanks to impressive performances from Krunal Pandya and a strong bowling attack featuring Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, and Yash Dayal.
In the final, Salt managed to score only 16 runs off nine balls, concluding the season with a total of 403 runs across 13 matches, averaging 33.58 with a strike rate of 175.98.
Following the IPL victory, Salt expressed his joy, stating, "It’s an unbelievable feeling right now. I’ll be honest, I don’t quite know where I am at the minute. I haven’t had much sleep, but I’m so proud of the boys." When asked if his newborn brought him luck, he replied, "He did. I’ve got a lucky charm now. I’m over the moon."
Earlier on Tuesday, Cricket West Indies (CWI) announced the squads for the three T20 International matches against England scheduled from June 6-10, along with another series of three matches against Ireland from June 12 to June 15.
West Indies T20I Squad: Shai Hope (Captain), Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King (Vice Captain), Evin Lewis, Gudakesh Motie, Rovman Powell, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, and Romario Shepherd.
England's T20I Series Schedule Against West Indies:
June 6: First T20I, England vs West Indies at Chester-Le-Street, Durham
June 8: Second T20I, England vs West Indies at Bristol
June 10: Third T20I, England vs West Indies at Southampton.