Bridgetown (Barbados), Jun 4 (IANS): England opener Phil Salt is aiming to win games for his side at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024, starting with their opener against Scotland on Tuesday. England will start their title defence in the hope of making it three crowns in this event. Salt was in the stands when England won their maiden T20 World Cup title in 2010 after he moved to Barbados as a 10-year-old and resided on the island for the next five years, before returning to the UK.

“Everything about the place suits me. Pretty laid back, a lot of cricket, a lot of sport and I've still got a lot of friends on the island," ICC quoted Salt as saying. “I watched England here, watched them win it. I think every kid in the crowd would have gone, that's going to be me one day, or I'd like that to be me one day, but you never believe it.

“So now to be here in an England shirt, with the opportunity to do something special in the next month is incredible really. I got a touch of the trophy that day. That's the thing that always sticks with me when I think about that day,” he added.

Salt was also part of England's title-winning campaign in 2022 and is now aiming to win more games for the Three Lions.

“When I was a kid, anybody who hit the ball hard or kept, I'd watch them on YouTube and just try and try and emulate them. I want to be the person winning more games for England,” he added.

The opening batter further said their goal is to lift the trophy in Barbados like in 2010. The final of the tournament will be played at Kensington Oval in Barbados on June 29.

“There’s a bit of a way to go, but that’s absolutely the goal. We’re here to win,” he said.