Match Overview
- Match: 2nd T20 International, England vs South Africa
- Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester
- Date: September 12, 2025
- Series status: It was tied 1-1 after this match, with a decider coming up.
Table of Contents
Ball-by-Ball Highlights & Key Moments of England vs South Africa
Here are some of the turning overs and moments from England vs South Africa, 2nd T20I at Old Trafford:
| Over / Phase | Event | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Powerplay (Overs 1-6) | England get off to an explosive start. Phil Salt and Jos Buttler smashed 100 runs in this period. Sky Sports | Sets the tone; South Africa under pressure immediately. |
| Mid-innings (Overs ~7-12) | Salt maintains the onslaught, with boundaries flowing. Buttler gets out after 83 off 30. England cross 200 by about 12 overs. | England build a mammoth platform; momentum fully with them. |
| Last few overs (Over ~17-20) | England finish strongly. Salt remains unbeaten on 141 off 60 balls, with Bethell and Brook contributing to keep scoring going. | Maximises the total; ensures South Africa have an almost unreachable target. |
| Early South Africa reply | Struggle from the start. Key early wickets by England bowlers (e.g. Jofra Archer, Sam Curran) dent the top order. | South Africa on back foot, never get into a real chase. |
| Middle overs of SA innings | Some resistance (Markram in particular) and moments of attacking intent (Stubbs, Fortuin) but England keep control with disciplined bowling and tight fielding. The Financial Express | Prevents any collapse being avoided; pressure builds. |
| Final overs | England wrap up the innings in ~16.1 overs, South Africa all out for 158 – a massive margin (146 runs). | Confirms the dominance; big win, big record. |
If you want, I can map every over with runs conceded, wicket balls, etc., from a source like Cricinfo. England vs South Africa
How 304/2 Ranks: Comparison with Other Highest T20I Totals
England’s 304/2 is historic. Here’s how it compares with other high scores in T20 Internationals, especially from full member (i.e. Test-playing) nations:England vs South Africa
| Rank | Team | Score | Opponent | Where / When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | England | 304/2 | South Africa | Manchester, Sep 2025 | Highest by any full member against another full member. |
| #2 | India | 297/6 | Bangladesh | Hyderabad, 2024 | Close behind, but England’s total edges it. |
| #3 | India | 283/1 | South Africa | Johannesburg, 2024 | Another high scoring full member game. |
| Also notable | Afghanistan | 278/3 vs Ireland | Dehradun, 2019 | Among highest vs full members. |
Innings Summary
England’s Batting
- England batted first and made a massive 304 for 2 in 20 overs — the highest T20I total ever by a full-member nation.
- Top performers:
- Phil Salt: Unbeaten 141 off 60 balls. A blazing innings. He also recorded England’s fastest T20I hundred (39 balls), bettering the previous record.
- Jos Buttler: 83 off 30 balls, also with a very high strike rate. He and Salt put on a very destructive opening stand.
- Harry Brook also made a useful contribution toward the end, plus Jacob Bethell chipped in with a cameo.
- England’s powerplay was incredibly aggressive: they scored 100 runs in the first 6 overs — a new record for England.
- They also set a new high for their 10-over score, reaching 166-1 at the halfway mark of the innings.
England vs South Africa
South Africa’s Response
- South Africa were never really in the chase after conceding such a huge total. They were bowled out for 158 in 16.1 overs.
- Key bowling from England:
- Jofra Archer: picked up 3 wickets for 25 runs.
- Sam Curran: 2-11, excellent support. Sky Sports
- Other bowlers like Will Jacks and Liam Dawson also contributed.
- For South Africa, Aiden Markram was one of the few who showed fight, scoring 41 off 20 balls. Still, the gap was just too large.
Over-by-Over Recap (England Innings) England vs South Africa
Here are key overs in England’s innings, with turning points, milestone overs and how the scoring progressed. Data drawn from live commentary / scorecard summaries. Hindustan Times
| Over | Score at end | Key Events / Details |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ~0-6 runs | England start aggressively. Salt & Buttler begin with intent. |
| 2-3 | ~20-40 | Buttler powers the attack, hitting fours and sixes. Salt getting set. |
| 4 | ~60+ | Boundary-rich over(s). Momentum building. Cricbuzz |
| 5 | ~80-90 (≈5 overs) | Buttler reaches fifty off 18 balls. Still no wicket. |
| 6 | ~100-110 | England reach 100 in the powerplay (overs 1-6) with no wickets lost. Record for England. |
| 7-8 | ~120-130 | Still very aggressive; South Africa finally break through: Buttler out in the 8th over (wicket by Fortuin) after strong opening stand. |
| 9-10 | ~150-170 | Salt accelerates further. 10-over mark: England reach ~166/1, highest 10-over total in any men’s T20I. |
| 11-12 | ~180-200+ | Bethell gives some support. Salt reaches 50/100 etc. Salt breaks 100 (fastest England T20 hundred in 39 balls). |
| 13-14 | ~200-230 | Brook starts contributing. Batter rotation, boundaries still plentiful. England maintaining high rate. ESPN.com |
| 15-16 | ~230-260 | Wicket falls (Bethell) around 14.1 over. Brook grows in confidence. Over 16 leads to ~252/2. |
| 17-19 | ~260-300 | Huge hitting. Salt and Brook hit some big sixes, boundaries. England approach 300 |
| 20 | 304/2 | Final over finishes strong. Salt remains unbeaten. England close at 304/2 after 20 overs. |
Over-by-Over Recap (South Africa Innings) England vs South Africa
Here’s how the chase unfolded over South Africa’s innings: Hindustan Times
| Over | Score / Wickets at end | Key Events |
|---|---|---|
| 1-3 | ~30-50 / 0-1 maybe | South Africa start poorly; early dot balls, trying to steady. |
| Powerplay (overs 1-6) | ~66/3 | They lose 3 wickets in the powerplay; set back early. Hindustan Times |
| Overs 7-10 | ~90-4 | Some counterattacking starts: Markram tries to build, but regular fall of wickets keeps them under pressure. Hindustan Times |
| Overs 11-14 | ~120-6 | Mid-innings collapse: England bowlers maintain pressure, good fielding, South Africa lose more batsmen. |
| Overs 15-16.1 | 158 All out | England wrap up with wickets; SA can’t keep up with required rate. |
Records & Milestones
This match smashed quite a few records. Some highlights:
- Highest T20I total by a full-member nation (304-2) for England. Times of India
- First time England have crossed 300 in a T20I. Sky Sports
- Fastest T20I century by an England batter (39 balls by Phil Salt).
- Best Powerplay for England: 100 runs in the first 6 overs.
Key Turning Points
- The opening partnership between Salt and Buttler was decisive. Their aggressive start not only piled on runs but also put South Africa on the backfoot psychologically very early. Sky Sports
- England’s bowlers, particularly Archer and Curran, did well to maintain pressure and grabbed early wickets. This prevented any realistic chase. Sky Sports
What This Means for the Series & Future
- With this win, England levelled the T20I series against South Africa. They force a decider in the third T20I. Sky Sports
- It’s a huge confidence boost for England, especially their batting unit. Scoring 300+ in T20 is rare, and doing so in a pressured match shows big firepower.
- For South Africa, this exposed some vulnerabilities: inability to contain the powerplay, failure to take early wickets, and no recovery after a top-order collapse. They will need to regroup for match three.
- Individual performances like Salt’s huge innings might now influence future selection, batting order, and strategy in T20s for England. For South Africa, some players will be under pressure.
Final Thoughts
This was a dominant performance by England — almost a statement match. When a team scores over 300 in 20 overs, everything has to work: batters, bowlers, fielding. England pulled it off, breaking multiple records and showing that in T20 cricket, they can not just chase but set monstrous targets.
For South Africa, it was a humbling night. But cricket is about bouncing back. The third match will be crucial for momentum, especially with the T20 World Cup not far off.
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