A stunning Phil Salt century enabled England to cruise to victory in the opening match of their T20 series with West Indies.

Saqib Mahmood and Jacob Bethell also played key supporting roles, posting career-best bowling figures and a maiden T20I half-century, respectively.

Jos Buttler won the toss ahead of his first game since June and chose to bowl, a decision Mahmood made look wise with three wickets in his first nine balls.

They were the only wickets of an eventful powerplay which also featured a rain delay and an injury to Reece Topley, who jarred a knee and had to leave the field mid-over.

West Indies stabilised to post 58-3 off the powerplay, but its end summoned Adil Rashid to the attack and he had the hosts’ captain Rovman Powell caught on the boundary off his second ball.

Buttler, at slip, took a brilliant catch off Rashid’s bowling to dismiss Sherfane Rutherford and apply more of a squeeze, before Andre Russell and Nicholas Pooran counter-attacked to good effect. 

Russell smashed four sixes in a quickfire 30 (off 17), while Pooran’s more measured innings (38 off 29) included five boundaries. Yet both fell in quick succession and left their side in a huge hole at 110-7, which soon became 117-8.

Cue a brilliant riposte from Gudakesh Motie (33 off 14) – who dealt almost entirely in boundaries – and Romario Shepherd (35no off 22). Motie’s innings in particular featured dashing shots and vaulted West Indies into a healthy position by the time Mahmood had him caught.

The wicket gave Mahmood career-best T20I figures of four wickets for 34 runs, while Rashid finished with three for 32. 

West Indies posted 182-9, meaning England would need to complete the highest-ever successful T20I chase at the Kensington Oval to win. As it was, they did that with ease.

Salt had a half-century by the end of the powerplay – which England reached at 73-1 – and even a golden duck for Buttler could not slow their progress.

Bethell, who like Salt grew up in Barbados, found the boundary with ease despite five fielders being outside the ring. The required rate was never an issue, with West Indies bowlers unable to build any pressure.

Bethell reached a half-century in the 16th over, one ball after a towering six, and the next over Salt brought up a brilliant, 53-ball ton which featured 15 boundaries.

The same over as Salt made three figures, England hit their target of 183 with 19 balls and eight wickets to spare. Salt and Bethell’s destructive, unbeaten partnership was worth 107 runs.

Mahmood was hit for 96 runs without claiming a wicket the last time he played in a T20I series against West Indies – all three games at this venue. He didn’t play again in the format for more than 30 months.

Salt’s century won’t have surprised anyone given his great record in the format in the Caribbean. Mahmood’s wickets and super spell with the new ball, though, proved a point.

After a stunning and almost chance-free century, it could be nobody else. Salt showcased his full repertoire of strokes, scoring with controlled shots through the off side as well as the bludgeoning maximums he is well known for. Add in quick running between the wickets just to make him even more unbearable to play against.

If one of the openers could bat long, England always looked to be favourites in the chase. Salt went above and beyond that.

• As well as being the highest-ever successful T20I chase at the Kensington Oval, England’s 183 is the second-highest second-innings score at the venue.
• Salt passed 1,000 T20I runs in the match.
• Salt has scored three T20I centuries, all coming in the Carribean against West Indies.
• Bethell is England’s youngest T20I half-centurion at 21 years and 17 days old.
• Dan Mousley made his T20I debut for England.