NEW DELHI: Opener Phil Salt cracked an unbeaten 54-ball 103 to power England to an eight-wicket victory over West Indies in the T20I series opener in Barbados on Saturday.
The win gives England a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
West Indies, put in to bat first, posted a challenging 183 runs, thanks to late-order hitting from Gudakesh Motie and Romario Shepherd.
Salt's unbeaten 104, including six sixes, was the backbone of England's successful chase.
Jacob Bethell, playing in his first T20 international, scored his maiden fifty, contributing 50 runs to England's total.
England chased down the target with three overs to spare, recording their highest-ever successful T20I run chase at Kensington Oval.
England captain Jos Buttler, returning from injury, was dismissed for a golden duck in his first match since November.
West Indies had earlier lost wickets at regular intervals despite an aggressive batting approach.
Saqib Mahmood, returning to international cricket, impressed with figures of 3 for 24 for England.
A ninth-wicket partnership of 49 runs between Shepherd and Motie bolstered the West Indies total.
England will be looking to take a 2-0 lead in the series when the two teams meet again at the same venue on Sunday.
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