Born in Bdelwyddan, raised in Barbados, and made in English cricket, Phil Salt has had a roundabout journey home, seeing one of cricket’s most bankable stars walk through the gates at Sophia Gardens as a genuine superstar.

In a new, privatised, era of The Hundred, identity is everything. For Welsh Fire, the one side that is able to harness national rather than regional pride, having a Welsh-born captain is vital.

And what a coup it is to have the world’s fourth best T20 batter in the world returning to Cardiff ahead of the season.

Salt captained Manchester Originals last season and is the top run scorer in the history of the competition with 1138 runs across five seasons.

At international level, Salt is a regular at the top of the order for England, averaging 34.94 from 65 T20 internationals with an outstanding striker rate of 163.74.

He has scored four T20 international hundreds for England – a record – including consecutive tons against the West Indies in December 2023 and breaking his own record as the scorer of England’s highest individual score against South Africa last summer.

His 141* from 60 balls helped his country to their highest ever total of 304-2 from 20 overs, with Salt hitting the fastest T20 hundred for England, off 39 balls.

Salt has substantial global franchise experience, including the Indian Premier League, SA20, Pakistan Super League, and Caribbean Premier League, alongside regular starring roles in The Hundred and T20 Blast.

“I think it’s a really exciting time for us,” Salt says.

“For me, I am always thinking about how do we become a side that can challenge for [The Hundred].

“It is incredibly special to me to represent Wales and the decision to sign was a such a no-brainer for me.

“I actually had to put myself into a more rational decision making process, and think about what I’m actually working with and make a good decision rather than an emotional one.

“Luckily, I feel like I’ve been able to make both.”

On the rationality, Salt is alluding to Welsh Fire’s relatively poor record in the first five seasons of The Hundred, with the men’s team never reaching the final – one of three teams to fail to do so.

However, with the introduction of the draft, and the vast sums of money spent on the likes of Jordan Cox, Joe Root, Rachin Ravindra, and Salt himself, the Fire have the chance to prove themselves this year.

“When I spoke to Huss [Welsh Fire head coach Michael Hussey], he told me about his experience of leaving Perth during his playing days to join Sydney Thunder who had never won the competition before,” Salt reveals.

“He spoke about that project and how that felt for him when they finally got their hands on the trophy.

“That storyline is something that I want us to be able to experience.”

For Salt, returning to Cardiff is particularly poignant as Sophia Gardens has been the venue for one of his most cherished playing memories already.

“I’ve got a lot of good memories of this ground,” Salt adds.

“I made my One-Day debut here and was also the first Welshman to captain England in Wales here in September 2024.

“This has always been a good ground for me and I’m hoping it’s going to continue that way for me and my team!”

However it shakes out on the pitch, with Salt’s return providing an emotional boost for fans looking forward to another month of fireworks on and off the pitch at Sophia Gardens, Welsh Fire look ready to set a marker down in a new era of The Hundred.

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