Two milestones in 48 hours: Phil Salt becomes a father and Indian Premier League champion

Dubai: In the span of 48 hours, Phil Salt became a father and a champion.

The English opener had one eye on the delivery room and the other on the biggest match of his life. But when it mattered most, Salt showed up — for both his newborn and for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, sealing an unforgettable double milestone.

With his partner Abe Salt due to give birth just as the IPL final approached, Salt made the decision to briefly leave the RCB camp. He flew out to be by her side, witnessed the birth of their child, and then jumped on an early-morning flight back to Ahmedabad.

At 3am on match day, he landed. Hours later, he was in the thick of the action and pulled off a stunning catch to give his team the breakthrough, helping RCB win their first-ever IPL title with a thrilling six-run victory over Punjab Kings.

The celebrations spilled over onto social media as Salt posted a carousel on Instagram, blending both his new roles: champion and father. The first image showed him grinning alongside Virat Kohli, clutching the trophy in the RCB dressing room. But the one that tugged at fans’ hearts? A miniature red and gold T-shirt with “Salt junior” emblazoned on it — a subtle tribute to both his newborn and the team he helped to glory.

The post was simply captioned: “48 hours that will live long in the memory.”

There were fears Salt might miss the final, but he made it just in time — running on adrenalin, joy and very little rest.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling. I don’t know where I am at the moment. I have not slept,” an elated Salt told the official broadcasters after winning the title.

"I’ve got a lucky charm now [On being a father]. Over the moon, mate.

“Everywhere we go, we are the best-supported team. It’s a big fan base. AB is here, Chris is here. It’s unbelievable. Thanks for supporting — you’ve won more games for us than you think.”

Two life-changing events. One unforgettable weekend. For Phil Salt, the IPL 2025 final was about more than cricket — it was about family, legacy and the joy of being exactly where he was needed, twice over.