England secured their spot in the Super 8s at the T20 World Cup with a jittery 24-run victory over debutants Italy in Kolkata as Will Jacks’ late-innings runs proved vital yet again.
Jacks (53no off 22 balls) completed a maiden T20I fifty with a six in the final over of the England knock as his side posted 202-7, having been reduced to 107-5 in the 13th over at Eden Gardens.
The Surrey all-rounder had smacked 18 from the last over in the four-run victory over Nepal in England’s opening match, with the team once again indebted to him after three of the top five batters – bar Jos Buttler (3) and Harry Brook (14) – fell in the 20s and 30s.
Jacks (1-34) then ended a savage fourth-wicket stand for Italy of 92 from 48 balls between Ben Manenti (60 off 25) and Justin Mosca (46 off 34) – Manenti ballooning to long-on – after the Associate nation rallied from 22-3 once Jofra Archer (2-35) had struck twice in the first over and Buttler took a superb leaping catch in the fourth.
Italy – who trounced Nepal by 10 wickets after beginning their campaign with defeat to Scotland – were dismissed for 178, with wickets for Adil Rashid (1-43), Sam Curran (3-22) and Jamie Overton (3-18) ensuring a shock was avoided.
An Italy win looked achievable with 89 needed from eight overs and then again when a 21-run Rashid over left the ask at 30 off 12 balls, but Curran shipped only five runs from the penultimate over – impressing at the death again after doing so against Nepal – before Overton polished things off in the last with two strikes.
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England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler took an acrobatic catch to dismiss Italy’s Harry Manenti in the run chase
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Watch how Jofra Archer removed Italy’s JJ Smuts and Anthony Mosca for ducks in Kolkata
England’s third win from four means they are safely, if nervously, through to round two and they will likely face Pakistan, New Zealand and one of Zimbabwe or Sri Lanka across Colombo and Kandy.
Italy and Scotland are now unable to progress, with unbeaten West Indies having already claimed the first qualification spot from Group C and now set to tackle India, South Africa and one other side in the Super 8s.
England advance – but vast improvement needed
England are yet to hit peak form in this tournament, with jittery moments in the triumphs over Nepal and Scotland and a timid defeat to West Indies in between.
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Harry Brook hits a four then a six before losing his wicket during their crunch tie against Italy at T20 World Cup!
One clear area to work on is players going bigger with the bat after getting in.
Phil Salt (28 off 15), Jacob Bethell (23 off 20) and Tom Banton (30 off 21) were all caught playing cross-batted swipes, while skipper Brook snicked former South Africa spinner JJ Smuts behind having cracked the previous two balls for four and six.
Buttler’s form is also a concern, with the opener caught slicing to mid-off for three for the second consecutive match and not passing 39 in nine international innings so far this year, comprising the World Cup and pre-tournament tour of Sri Lanka.
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Jos Buttler’s disastrous T20 World Cup continues as Italy captain Harry Manenti takes the catch
Jacks ensured Ben Manenti’s 16th over was nailed for 20 as he flogged successive leg-side sixes, while his Surrey team-mate Curran (25 off 19) mowed Crishan Kalugamage for a pair of maximums in the 17th before holing out at cover.
Overton (15 off 9) contributed, too, but Jacks was the leading light and struck a pair of sixes in Grant Stewart’s final over, seeing England loot 95 from the final seven overs.
The game looked done inside four overs of the chase with Archer inflicting ducks on Anthony Mosca and Smuts in the first and Buttler’s acrobatic grab then dismissing Harry Manenti (12) on the scoop in the fourth, off Overton.
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Sky Sports’ Nasser Hussain rang the bell at Eden Gardens ahead of England’s game with Italy
Yet, Justin Mosca (43 off 34) and Ben Manenti gave England a truckload of jitters, while Stewart (45no off 23) hit three sixes off Rashid in the 18th over to keep Italy believing.
Those efforts ultimately came in vain but the Azzurri can be proud of their performance. England, meanwhile, know they must improve to have a chance of winning the T20 World Cup for a third time, after success in the Caribbean in 2010 and in Australia in 2022.
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