178/10 (20.0)
CR : 8.90
202/7 (20.0)
CR : 10.10
England won by 24 runs 🏆
Player of the Match
Will Jacks
1/3453(22)
ENG won by 24 runs
6:23 PM IST, LOCAL TIME: What is cricket, if not a gentle reminder that experience eventually cashes the cheque pressure writes? Eden Gardens witnessed exactly that. England calm. Italy brave. Drama guaranteed. England posted 202/7 in 20 overs. A commanding total. Italy replied with 178 all out. Short by 24 runs. But do not be fooled. This was no stroll. Italy punched. England absorbed. Momentum swung like a pendulum. Big hits. Quick wickets. Crucial partnerships. England had the pedigree. Italy had the fearlessness. In the end… composure trumped chaos.
How did Italy’s chase begin? Fireworks or fright? Fright. Absolute fright. Archer breathed fire. Two wickets inside the opening moments. Anthony Mosca. Gone. JJ Smuts. Gone. Scoreboard gasping at 1/2. Pressure sky-high. Powerplay closed at 47/3. England were firmly ahead. Italy wobbling. But Justin Mosca resisted. Holding shape. Playing smart cricket. Trying to rebuild. Because in big chases… survival is step one.
Who flipped the script for Italy? Enter Ben Manenti. Bat swinging. Fielders scattering. Bowlers sweating. His 60 off 25 balls was pure mayhem. Strike rate 240. Sixes flying like postcards. Suddenly, England got nervous. Partnerships flowing. Italy raced past 100 in 11.3 overs. Game alive. Crowd buzzing. England searched for control. Then Will Jacks struck. Breakthrough. Manenti was gone at 114/4. Silence. Momentum cracked.
Did Italy still believe? Or did hope fade? Oh, they believed. Grant Stewart made sure of that. 45 off 23 balls. Clean. Brutal. Calculated aggression. Italy stayed in the hunt. Drinks at 128/4 in 14 overs. Equation tense. Then came the killer blow. 21 runs off Adil Rashid’s last over. Carnage. Chaos. England rattled. But wickets followed. Stewart’s dismissal overturned after a review drama. Italy’s lower order exposed. The chase stumbled. Then collapsed.
Earlier, how did England build that imposing 202? Explosive Powerplay. 56/2 after 6 overs. Phil Salt blazed 28 off 15. Boundaries flowing. Intent clear. Middle overs steadied. Banton busy. Bethell was useful. Italy’s bowlers fought back. Manenti probed cleverly. Drinks saw England at 114/5. Balanced. Yet vulnerable. Then came the surge. Jacks arrived. And everything changed.
Was there a defining moment in England’s innings? Without doubt. Will Jacks - 53 off 22 balls. That is not acceleration. That is launch mode. Fifty off 21 balls. Strike rate touched absurd levels. The sixth-wicket stand added quick runs. Overton chipped in. Death overs were brutal. England stormed to 202/7. Italy bowlers under siege. Yorkers missed. Lengths punished. Scoreboard ballooning. England finished like seasoned pros.
How did Italy’s chase begin? Fireworks or fright? Fright. Absolute fright. Archer breathed fire. Two wickets inside the opening moments. Anthony Mosca. Gone. JJ Smuts. Gone. Scoreboard gasping at 1/2. Pressure sky-high. Powerplay closed at 47/3. England were firmly ahead. Italy wobbling. But Justin Mosca resisted. Holding shape. Playing smart cricket. Trying to rebuild. Because in big chases… survival is step one.
Who flipped the script for Italy? Enter Ben Manenti. Bat swinging. Fielders scattering. Bowlers sweating. His 60 off 25 balls was pure mayhem. Strike rate 240. Sixes flying like postcards. Suddenly, England got nervous. Partnerships flowing. Italy raced past 100 in 11.3 overs. Game alive. Crowd buzzing. England searched for control. Then Will Jacks struck. Breakthrough. Manenti was gone at 114/4. Silence. Momentum cracked.
Did Italy still believe? Or did hope fade? Oh, they believed. Grant Stewart made sure of that. 45 off 23 balls. Clean. Brutal. Calculated aggression. Italy stayed in the hunt. Drinks at 128/4 in 14 overs. Equation tense. Then came the killer blow. 21 runs off Adil Rashid’s last over. Carnage. Chaos. England rattled. But wickets followed. Stewart’s dismissal overturned after a review drama. Italy’s lower order exposed. The chase stumbled. Then collapsed.
Earlier, how did England build that imposing 202? Explosive Powerplay. 56/2 after 6 overs. Phil Salt blazed 28 off 15. Boundaries flowing. Intent clear. Middle overs steadied. Banton busy. Bethell was useful. Italy’s bowlers fought back. Manenti probed cleverly. Drinks saw England at 114/5. Balanced. Yet vulnerable. Then came the surge. Jacks arrived. And everything changed.
Was there a defining moment in England’s innings? Without doubt. Will Jacks - 53 off 22 balls. That is not acceleration. That is launch mode. Fifty off 21 balls. Strike rate touched absurd levels. The sixth-wicket stand added quick runs. Overton chipped in. Death overs were brutal. England stormed to 202/7. Italy bowlers under siege. Yorkers missed. Lengths punished. Scoreboard ballooning. England finished like seasoned pros.
Smallest Win Margins in Kolkata in T20Is (By Runs):
8 by India vs West Indies, 2022
17 by India vs West Indies, 2022
24 by England vs Italy, 2026, Today*
35 by West Indies vs Scotland, 2026
8 by India vs West Indies, 2022
17 by India vs West Indies, 2022
24 by England vs Italy, 2026, Today*
35 by West Indies vs Scotland, 2026
Player of the Match: Will Jacks
Will Jacks (Player of the Match): (On maintaining batting intent) “We spoke about the last few games and the importance of keeping our intent up. At times, we’ve been a bit static, but we knew this was a very good surface and a very fast-scoring ground. Batting first, you never really know what’s enough, so the message was to stay positive and keep the tempo going throughout.
(On his first T20I half-century) It feels like it’s been a long time coming. There have been a few role changes along the way, so it’s nice to finally get one. I feel like I’m settling into my role down the order quite well now, which is pleasing.
(On the key scoring areas) The plan was to look straight. There’s a short boundary down the ground, and the bowlers were targeting the block hole late in the innings. So the idea was to aim straight first and then adjust from there.
(On dismissing Ben Manenti) He was batting unbelievably well and striking the ball better than any of us. Initially, the plan was to bowl full and straight, but when that missed slightly, he capitalised. So I tried to change things up and go wider, and thankfully it worked. If he had stayed a few more overs, the game could have looked very different.
(On qualifying for the Super 8) The most important thing is that we’ve qualified. It doesn’t really matter how you get there. That said, we know we need to be better. We’re heading to Sri Lanka now with different conditions and new opposition, so there’s plenty for us to work on. We’ll regroup and try our best.”
(On his first T20I half-century) It feels like it’s been a long time coming. There have been a few role changes along the way, so it’s nice to finally get one. I feel like I’m settling into my role down the order quite well now, which is pleasing.
(On the key scoring areas) The plan was to look straight. There’s a short boundary down the ground, and the bowlers were targeting the block hole late in the innings. So the idea was to aim straight first and then adjust from there.
(On dismissing Ben Manenti) He was batting unbelievably well and striking the ball better than any of us. Initially, the plan was to bowl full and straight, but when that missed slightly, he capitalised. So I tried to change things up and go wider, and thankfully it worked. If he had stayed a few more overs, the game could have looked very different.
(On qualifying for the Super 8) The most important thing is that we’ve qualified. It doesn’t really matter how you get there. That said, we know we need to be better. We’re heading to Sri Lanka now with different conditions and new opposition, so there’s plenty for us to work on. We’ll regroup and try our best.”
Highest Individual Scores for Italy in T20 WCs:
62* – Anthony Mosca vs Nepal, Mumbai (Wankhede), 2026
60* – Justin Mosca vs Nepal, Mumbai (Wankhede), 2026
60 – Ben Manenti vs England, Kolkata, 2026, Today*
52 – Ben Manenti vs Scotland, Kolkata, 2026
45 – Grant Stewart vs England, Kolkata, 2026, Today*
62* – Anthony Mosca vs Nepal, Mumbai (Wankhede), 2026
60* – Justin Mosca vs Nepal, Mumbai (Wankhede), 2026
60 – Ben Manenti vs England, Kolkata, 2026, Today*
52 – Ben Manenti vs Scotland, Kolkata, 2026
45 – Grant Stewart vs England, Kolkata, 2026, Today*
Most sixes by an Associate team in a Men’s T20 World Cup innings:
19 – Netherlands vs Ireland, Sylhet, 2014
13 – United States vs Canada, Grand Prairie, 2024
13* – Italy vs England, Kolkata, 2026, Today*
12 – Scotland vs Australia, Gros Islet, 2024
19 – Netherlands vs Ireland, Sylhet, 2014
13 – United States vs Canada, Grand Prairie, 2024
13* – Italy vs England, Kolkata, 2026, Today*
12 – Scotland vs Australia, Gros Islet, 2024
Harry Manenti (Italy Captain): (On assessing England’s total of 202) “I think we always knew they were going to come hard - that’s the way they play their cricket. It’s entertaining, but our focus was on trying to attack early and get through the start of the game. We felt that if we could do that, we’d be right in it through the middle and back end. 200 wasn’t that far above par today, but we probably allowed a few too many runs, which made the chase tougher.
(On the challenge of bowling to Will Jacks) I thought he batted excellently. He showed that when a batter of that quality gets in deep, anything can happen. On a small-ish ground and a good wicket against a very strong lineup, we were just trying to minimise the damage. The plan was to take wickets up front, and while we did that at times, we probably let him get away a bit too much, which hurt us later.
(On the positives from Italy’s chase) We lost a few early, but the way Ben came out and struck the ball immediately was outstanding. It really put pressure on England. You could see how a small partnership can shift momentum - Grant Stewart’s innings showed the same. When you build a stand and apply pressure, anything is possible, and that’s something we’ll take confidence from.
(On falling short despite competitive positions) I think it’s actually a positive for associate nations that we’re seeing teams push higher-ranked sides. For us, being ranked much lower, to come out and put pressure on England is something we can take great belief from. Ultimately, it comes down to having more games in those key moments against top opposition. That experience is what helps you finish those situations.
(On his emotions when Ben was dismissed) Firstly, I was proud of him. I’ve seen how hard he works, especially on his batting, which maybe doesn’t always get the spotlight. Today, he showed how capable he is. He was a big reason we stayed in the contest. The same goes for players like Grant Stewart - seeing them perform like that makes me very proud as a captain of Italy.
(On the mindset heading into the West Indies game) We’ve got nothing to lose. For many of our players, today was the biggest game of their careers, and now we have another great opportunity. The West Indies are a fantastic side with huge power, but our aim is the same - go out, compete hard, and push them to their limits.
(On the overall tournament experience) It’s been a great learning experience for us. Competing at this level, against world-class teams, gives us belief and motivation. Hopefully, we continue to get opportunities like this to show what Italy is capable of on the world stage.”
(On the challenge of bowling to Will Jacks) I thought he batted excellently. He showed that when a batter of that quality gets in deep, anything can happen. On a small-ish ground and a good wicket against a very strong lineup, we were just trying to minimise the damage. The plan was to take wickets up front, and while we did that at times, we probably let him get away a bit too much, which hurt us later.
(On the positives from Italy’s chase) We lost a few early, but the way Ben came out and struck the ball immediately was outstanding. It really put pressure on England. You could see how a small partnership can shift momentum - Grant Stewart’s innings showed the same. When you build a stand and apply pressure, anything is possible, and that’s something we’ll take confidence from.
(On falling short despite competitive positions) I think it’s actually a positive for associate nations that we’re seeing teams push higher-ranked sides. For us, being ranked much lower, to come out and put pressure on England is something we can take great belief from. Ultimately, it comes down to having more games in those key moments against top opposition. That experience is what helps you finish those situations.
(On his emotions when Ben was dismissed) Firstly, I was proud of him. I’ve seen how hard he works, especially on his batting, which maybe doesn’t always get the spotlight. Today, he showed how capable he is. He was a big reason we stayed in the contest. The same goes for players like Grant Stewart - seeing them perform like that makes me very proud as a captain of Italy.
(On the mindset heading into the West Indies game) We’ve got nothing to lose. For many of our players, today was the biggest game of their careers, and now we have another great opportunity. The West Indies are a fantastic side with huge power, but our aim is the same - go out, compete hard, and push them to their limits.
(On the overall tournament experience) It’s been a great learning experience for us. Competing at this level, against world-class teams, gives us belief and motivation. Hopefully, we continue to get opportunities like this to show what Italy is capable of on the world stage.”
Harry Brook (England Captain): (On sealing qualification for the Super 8) “We probably haven’t played our best cricket, but at the end of the day, we’ve made it through. We’re headed to Sri Lanka now, so there are definitely positives to take from that. Progressing in a tournament is what matters most.
(On the batting unit’s inconsistency) That’s been a bit of a trend for us so far. As a batting group, we haven’t quite managed to string together the scores we would have liked. But that’s the nature of T20 cricket - it’s a fickle format. One day things click, another day they don’t. The key for us is to stay brave and continue backing our options.
(On the bowling and fielding performance) I thought we were excellent in the field, and the bowlers did a really good job as well. Even towards the end, I never really had any doubts with the guys we had to finish the innings. Overall, it was a very disciplined performance.
(On standout contributions from teammates) There have been some really strong performances within the group. Curran, in particular, has been outstanding throughout the competition. Will Jacks has also stepped up at important moments, especially when we’ve found ourselves under pressure. That’s been really encouraging to see.
(On the strategy behind Sam Curran’s usage) He was on a bit of a heater, and when someone like Jofra gets into that rhythm, you want to maximise his impact. The idea was to use him where he could make the biggest difference, and he did exactly that by putting the opposition under pressure early on.
(On returning to Sri Lanka and adapting to conditions) We’ve spent time there before, so we have a fair understanding of what to expect. It’s all about adapting quickly once again. From a batting perspective, especially, we know we need to be braver. In this format, you only have 20 overs, so you have to take responsibility and look to maximise every opportunity. That’s something we’ll be focusing on going forward.”
(On the batting unit’s inconsistency) That’s been a bit of a trend for us so far. As a batting group, we haven’t quite managed to string together the scores we would have liked. But that’s the nature of T20 cricket - it’s a fickle format. One day things click, another day they don’t. The key for us is to stay brave and continue backing our options.
(On the bowling and fielding performance) I thought we were excellent in the field, and the bowlers did a really good job as well. Even towards the end, I never really had any doubts with the guys we had to finish the innings. Overall, it was a very disciplined performance.
(On standout contributions from teammates) There have been some really strong performances within the group. Curran, in particular, has been outstanding throughout the competition. Will Jacks has also stepped up at important moments, especially when we’ve found ourselves under pressure. That’s been really encouraging to see.
(On the strategy behind Sam Curran’s usage) He was on a bit of a heater, and when someone like Jofra gets into that rhythm, you want to maximise his impact. The idea was to use him where he could make the biggest difference, and he did exactly that by putting the opposition under pressure early on.
(On returning to Sri Lanka and adapting to conditions) We’ve spent time there before, so we have a fair understanding of what to expect. It’s all about adapting quickly once again. From a batting perspective, especially, we know we need to be braver. In this format, you only have 20 overs, so you have to take responsibility and look to maximise every opportunity. That’s something we’ll be focusing on going forward.”
Italy threatened. Seriously threatened. Manenti nearly pulled off a miracle. Stewart added the spice. But England held their nerve. Overton clinical. Curran was decisive. Archer was lethal early. Experience spoke. Italy learned. England advanced. Victory by 24 runs. Super Eights secured!!!
Until then, I am Dev Rajawat, signing off, along with my co-commentator, AkshayaKrishna Polya, scorer Bishal Mandal, and statistician Aman. That’s it from our side. Thanks for joining. But there is one more game scheduled in the T20 World Cup. Switch tabs, follow the fun. Goodbye from this tab! TAKE CARE! BREATHE AND SMILE! CIAO!!!!
Until then, I am Dev Rajawat, signing off, along with my co-commentator, AkshayaKrishna Polya, scorer Bishal Mandal, and statistician Aman. That’s it from our side. Thanks for joining. But there is one more game scheduled in the T20 World Cup. Switch tabs, follow the fun. Goodbye from this tab! TAKE CARE! BREATHE AND SMILE! CIAO!!!!