England Crush South Africa in 2nd T20I 2025
The England vs South Africa T20I rivalry has produced some unforgettable contests in modern cricket, and the 2nd T20I at Old Trafford, Manchester on 12 September 2025, will go down as one of the most remarkable games in history. England, having suffered a setback in the opening match of the series, came out with renewed intent. The result was nothing short of spectacular — a record-breaking batting performance that left South Africa stunned and leveled the series 1-1, setting up a mouth-watering finale.
From Phil Salt’s monumental innings to England’s relentless bowling attack, the day belonged entirely to the hosts. South Africa, despite boasting a strong batting lineup, were simply blown away by the sheer dominance of England’s cricket.
🏏 Match Summary
- Match: England vs South Africa, 2nd T20I, 2025
- Date: 12 September 2025
- Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester
- Series: 3-match T20I series (South Africa tour of England 2025)
- Toss: South Africa won the toss, opted to field first
- Result: England won by 146 runs
- Player of the Match: Phil Salt (England) – 141* (60)
England: 304/2 (20 overs)
South Africa: 158 all out (16.1 overs)
🔹 England Innings – Salt & Buttler Rewrite the Record Books
England were put into bat by Aiden Markram, who expected his bowlers to exploit the Manchester conditions under lights. Instead, what unfolded was a complete batting masterclass.
Powerplay Blitz
- Phil Salt and Jos Buttler opened with destructive intent.
- The duo brought up 100 runs inside 7 overs, the fastest century opening stand in England’s T20I history.
- South African pacers — Rabada, Ngidi, and Jansen — had no answers to the carnage.
Middle Overs Domination
- Buttler smashed 83 off 30 balls before falling in the 8th over, leaving England at 126/1.
- Jacob Bethell (26 off 14) kept up the momentum, ensuring Salt had the platform to accelerate.
- Salt reached his century in just 48 balls, blending clean hitting with clever placement.
Death Overs Acceleration
- Salt (141 off 60)* remained unbeaten, hammering 15 fours and 8 sixes.
- Harry Brook (41 off 21)* provided late fireworks, taking England past the 300-run mark — the first time England had ever achieved this in T20Is.
It was a record-shattering innings that left South Africa demoralized before even starting their chase.
England Batting Scorecard
| Batsman | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phil Salt (wk) | 141* | 60 | 15 | 8 | 235.0 |
| Jos Buttler | 83 | 30 | 8 | 7 | 276.7 |
| Jacob Bethell | 26 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 185.7 |
| Harry Brook (c) | 41* | 21 | 5 | 1 | 195.2 |
| Extras | 13 | ||||
| Total | 304/2 (20 overs) |
South Africa Bowling
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wkts | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kagiso Rabada | 4 | 61 | 0 | 15.2 |
| Anrich Nortje | 4 | 54 | 0 | 13.5 |
| Lungi Ngidi | 3 | 49 | 0 | 16.3 |
| Marco Jansen | 4 | 64 | 0 | 16.0 |
| Bjorn Fortuin | 4 | 67 | 2 | 16.7 |
| Tabraiz Shamsi | 1 | 15 | 0 | 15.0 |
🔹 South Africa Innings – Collapse Under Pressure
Chasing 305 runs in 20 overs was always a near-impossible task, but South Africa tried to come out with aggression. The scoreboard pressure, however, was too much to handle.
Early Wickets
- Jofra Archer and Sam Curran bowled fiery opening spells.
- Quinton de Kock (12 off 9) and Reeza Hendricks (18 off 10) both fell early.
- South Africa were reduced to 42/3 in 5 overs.
Middle-Order Resistance
- David Miller (37 off 22) tried to steady the innings with his counter-attacking shots.
- Captain Aiden Markram (29 off 18) fought hard but lost partners at regular intervals.
- Rashid and Jacks applied pressure with spin, forcing false shots.
Tail Collapse
- Archer’s pace was too hot to handle, claiming 3 wickets.
- Curran and Livingstone mopped up the tail as South Africa were bowled out for 158 in 16.1 overs.
South Africa Batting Scorecard
| Batsman | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quinton de Kock (wk) | 12 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 133.3 |
| Reeza Hendricks | 18 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 180.0 |
| Rassie van der Dussen | 14 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 127.2 |
| Aiden Markram (c) | 29 | 18 | 3 | 1 | 161.1 |
| Heinrich Klaasen | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 116.7 |
| David Miller | 37 | 22 | 4 | 2 | 168.2 |
| Marco Jansen | 11 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 122.2 |
| Kagiso Rabada | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 114.3 |
| Anrich Nortje | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 120.0 |
| Lungi Ngidi | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 125.0 |
| Tabraiz Shamsi | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.0 |
| Total | 158 all out (16.1 overs) |
England Bowling
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wkts | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jofra Archer | 4 | 25 | 3 | 6.2 |
| Sam Curran | 3 | 23 | 2 | 7.7 |
| Reece Topley | 3 | 27 | 1 | 9.0 |
| Adil Rashid | 3 | 32 | 1 | 10.7 |
| Will Jacks | 2.1 | 20 | 2 | 9.2 |
| Liam Livingstone | 1 | 12 | 1 | 12.0 |
🔎 Post-Match Analysis
This game will be remembered as one of the most dominant victories in T20I history.
Key Takeaways for England
- Phil Salt’s Record Knock – His 141* was the backbone of England’s innings and may go down as one of the greatest T20I innings ever.
- Buttler’s Acceleration – Provided explosive momentum at the top.
- Balanced Bowling Attack – Archer and Curran ensured that South Africa never had a sniff of a chase.
- Fielding Standards – England were sharp, converting half-chances into wickets.
Key Concerns for South Africa
- Bowling Meltdown – Conceding over 300 runs in 20 overs exposed both pace and spin weaknesses.
- Batting Under Pressure – None of the batsmen managed to build a meaningful partnership.
- Lack of Plan B – Once Salt and Buttler got going, South Africa looked completely out of ideas.
📈 England’s Strategy Towards the Decider (3rd T20I)
With the series now 1-1, England will look to maintain their aggressive approach:
- Batting First Preference: Given their dominance with the bat, England might prefer setting a target again.
- Rotation of Bowlers: Managing Archer and Curran’s workloads will be key.
- Middle-Order Depth: Harry Brook and Livingstone are yet to unleash their full potential, which could be decisive in the 3rd T20I.
South Africa, on the other hand, must regroup quickly, re-strategize their bowling plans, and look to utilize powerplay overs better with the bat.
🏆 Conclusion
The England vs South Africa 2nd T20I 2025 was nothing short of a one-sided spectacle. England not only leveled the series but also sent a strong statement ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026 preparations. With Phil Salt, Jos Buttler, and Harry Brook in scintillating form, and Archer back to his best, England look like a team ready to dominate the shortest format.
South Africa will need to show resilience in the series decider, or risk another heavy defeat. Fans can expect fireworks in the 3rd T20I showdown.
