BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (AP) — Phil Salt raced to a century off 53 balls as England produced a record-breaking run Saturday to beat the West Indies by eight wickets in the first Twenty20 international.

Salt finished 103rd, not out as England overran West Indies’ total of 182-9 with 19 balls to spare. In a match of extraordinary ball-striking that saw 23 sixes, England eclipsed the previous most successful T20 run chase at Kensington Oval of 172.

Salt hit six of those sixes as well as nine fours. He now has three centuries in T20 internationals, all compiled against the West Indies in the Caribbean. The 28-year-old had already made 109 not out at St Georges and 119 at Tarouba in the matches against the West Indies in 2023.

He was supported on Sunday by Jacob Bethell who made 58 not out from 36 balls with five fours and two sixes.

“I think (the Caribbean) is where I’m happiest,” Salt said. “I like hitting here. I grew up on these surfaces.

Salt posted scores of 18, 59 and 74 in the just-concluded three-match one-day series against the West Indies and carried that form into the five-match T20 series.

“I really enjoy playing 50-over cricket and getting into a rhythm with it, but coming here tonight you have to adapt quickly,” he said. “It only takes one training session to move to a completely different pace of play.”

Although their goal was daunting, England still looked on the right track thanks to Salt. England reached 50 in just four overs and Salt followed up his own half-century off 25 balls to have England at 73-1 at the end of their six-over powerplay where West Indies were 68- 3.

The West Indies innings unfolded in a turbulent fashion at times after England captain Jos Buttler won the toss and dispatched the home side.

Buttler was playing his first match in over four months after a calf injury and had a mixed evening, taking two superb catches but also falling to a spectacular catch for a first-ball duck. He was caught by Gudakesh Motie who collected the ball in the air with a hand to third man.

After Shaqib Mahmood took three wickets in the powerplay to leave West Indies 18-3 at one stage, Nicholas Pooran led the recovery with 38 from 29 balls, including three sixes.

Andre Russell made 30 from 17 balls and hit the biggest six of the night against Liam Livingstone, a towering shot down the ground that cleared the stand.

When Russell was dismissed, outstanding batting at the death of Motie and Romario Shepherd took the West Indies to a competitive total. Motie hit the first two balls he faced for six and raced to 33 from 14 balls while Shepherd made 35 not out from 22 deliveries.

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