KOLKATA: England secured a thrilling 24-run victory over Italy in the 29th match of the ICC T20 World Cup, booking their place in the Super Eight stage of the tournament.
The match was played at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, where England won the toss and elected to bat first.
Batting first, England posted an impressive total of 202 runs for the loss of seven wickets in their allotted 20 overs.
Will Jacks remained unbeaten on 53, anchoring the innings with a composed knock. Tom Banton contributed 30 runs, Phil Salt added 28, while Sam Curran chipped in with 25 runs.
For Italy, Grant Stewart and Krishan Kalugamage claimed two wickets each to keep their side in contention.
Chasing a daunting target of 203, Italy mounted a spirited response and fought until the very last ball of the final over. However, they were bowled out for 178 runs.
Ben Manenti led Italy’s batting effort with 60 runs, while Grant Stewart scored 45 and Justin Mosca added 43 in a valiant attempt to pull off an upset.
With the victory, England advanced to the Super Eight phase, strengthening their campaign in the ongoing tournament.
