Will Jacks stars as England seal Super Eights spot with 24-run win vs Italy

Kolkata — Will Jacks authored the most complete performance of England’s T20 World Cup campaign so far, slamming a 22-ball fifty and later claiming a momentum-shifting wicket as the defending champions subdued spirited Italy by 24 runs at Eden Gardens on Monday night to clinch a Super Eights berth from Group C.

Sent in on a sultry evening, England flirted with danger at 105 for 5 before Jacks arrived to detonate the innings. The 25-year-old muscled four sixes and three fours in an unbeaten 53, while Sam Curran supplied 25 off 19 as the pair looted 54 in the last 25 legal deliveries and propelled England to a tournament-high 202 for 7. Phil Salt had earlier signalled intent with 28 from 15, taking England past 50 inside the powerplay, but regular strikes—Jos Buttler continuing his slump with a three-ball stay—left the innings in the balance until Jacks’ pyrotechnics.

Italy’s reply began in a blur of 146 kph thunderbolts from Jofra Archer that left them 1 for 2 after the first over and 22 for 3 soon after. Yet the underdogs refused to fold. Ben Manenti, promoted to counter, produced the innings of his young international life, crashing five sixes and four fours in a 25-ball 60 that included a 21-run humbling of Jacks’ off-spin. Justin Mosca lent calm support with 43 off 34 and the siblings in spirit added 92 in 48 balls to haul Italy within sight of an upset.

England needed a hero with the ball; inevitably it was Jacks who provided it, ending Manenti’s charge when Tom Banton held a skier at long-off. Adil Rashid removed Justin two overs later, but Grant Stewart kept Italian hearts fluttering with 45 off 23, taking two sixes off Archer and three more off Rashid. The see-saw finally tilted England’s way when Curran nailed two in two—finishing with 3 for 22—and Jamie Overton scythed through the tail to end with 3 for 18 as Italy were bowled out for 178 with the final delivery.

The result lifts England into the Super Eights and leaves Italy to take pride in a debut World Cup performance that briefly threatened one of the sport’s great shocks.