South Africa endured a night to forget in Manchester as their pace attack crumbled under the relentless assault of England’s batters in the second T20I of the series. While Phil Salt’s record-breaking 141* powered England to a mammoth 304/2, South Africa’s bowling figures entered the record books for all the wrong reasons.

First-Ever Instance in Men’s T20s

For the first time in men’s T20 history, three bowlers from the same side conceded 60 or more runs in a single innings. Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, and Lizaad Williams all bore the brunt of England’s power-hitting, with each of them finishing their four overs with economy rates well above 15.

The trio’s expensive spells summed up South Africa’s struggles on the night, as nothing seemed to work against the English batters, who smashed boundaries at will and kept the scoreboard racing.

England’s Batting Brilliance

Salt, alongside captain Jos Buttler, dismantled the attack with aggressive intent from the very first over. Their efforts not only set up the highest T20I score against a Full Member nation but also exposed cracks in South Africa’s bowling unit.

While conceding 60+ runs in a T20 spell has happened before to individual bowlers, having three bowlers in the same match cross that mark makes this outing historically poor for the Proteas.

Lessons for South Africa

This record highlights the growing demands of modern T20 cricket, where bowlers must adapt quickly under pressure. With the World Cup on the horizon, South Africa’s management will be keen to ensure such lapses are not repeated, especially against top-tier opponents like England.