England Holds Nerve Against Spirited Italy at Eden Gardens
England secured a hard-fought victory against Italy by 24 runs in their Group C encounter of theT20 World Cup 2026. Played at the historicEden GardensinKolkata, the match was closer than the scorecard suggests, providing plenty of entertainment for cricket fans across the region.
Batting first, the English side posted an imposing total of 202 for 7. The innings was defined by a blistering knock fromWill Jacks, who was named Player of the Match. Jacks smashed an unbeaten 53 off just 22 balls, hitting four massive sixes to accelerate the scoring rate in the final overs. Contributions from Phil Salt (28) and Tom Banton (30) helped lay the foundation, but it was Jacks' late fireworks that pushed England past the 200-run mark.
In response, Italy showed incredible grit. They were reduced to 22 for 3 early on as Jofra Archer and Jamie Overton breathed fire with the new ball. However,Ben Manentilaunched a stunning counter-attack. His explosive innings of 60 runs from just 25 deliveries, including six sixes, suddenly made the target look achievable. He found support from Grant Stewart, who added a swift 45.
For a brief period, an upset seemed possible at theEngland vs Italyclash. However, the experience of the English bowling attack eventually prevailed. Jamie Overton returned impressive figures of 3 for 18, while Sam Curran cleaned up the lower order, taking 3 wickets for 22 runs.
Italy was eventually bowled out for 178 in the final over. While England takes the crucial points in theT20 World Cup 2026standings, Italy won hearts at Eden Gardens with their fearless approach against a top-tier team.
Image Source: ESPN / ICC
