Phil Salt turned the heat on the Mumbai Indians with a blistering start for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their IPL 2026 clash at the Wankhede Stadium, delivering one of the most explosive powerplay cameos of the season. Opening the innings, Phil Salt looked in complete control from the outset, taking on MI’s premier pacers with fearless intent.
He got going early against Trent Boult and Hardik Pandya, racing to 22 off just 13 balls and immediately putting the hosts under pressure.
However, the defining moment of his innings came against Mitchell Santner. Making his return to the XI after missing the previous game due to a niggle, Santner was handed the ball to control the scoring rate. Instead, Phil Salt completely flipped the momentum.
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The Englishman took apart the left-arm spinner in a brutal over, smashing three consecutive sixes along with a boundary to collect 22 runs in just four deliveries. Santner’s slightly short lengths played right into Salt’s strengths, and the opener capitalised with clean, powerful hitting that left the Wankhede crowd stunned.
6️⃣, 6️⃣, 6️⃣! 🤯
🎥 Phil Salt goes back-to-back-to-back against Mitchell Santner 🔥
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Coming into the game, Salt’s place in the XI had been a talking point, with some fans calling for a different combination, especially with the availability of overseas options like Josh Hazlewood and Jacob Duffy. But RCB’s decision to persist with him at the top paid immediate dividends.
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Salt’s aggressive approach set the tone for RCB’s innings, allowing the middle order to build on a strong platform. His intent against both pace and spin underlined his value in the T20 format, where early momentum can dictate the course of the game.
In a high-stakes clash, Salt’s fearless knock ensured RCB seized control early, putting Mumbai Indians on the back foot right from the powerplay.
