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England fend off Italy to reach T20 Super 8s

Kagi News | 2026-02-16 13:00 UTC | source

🏏 England booked a place in the T20 World Cup Super 8s with a 24-run win over tournament debutants Italy in a group match in Kolkata on Monday 134. Will Jacks’ rapid 53 not out off 22 balls powered England to 202-7 — their highest total of the tournament — after they had slumped to 105-5 in the 13th over 14.

Italy, the tournament’s lowest-ranked side, turned it into a crowd-pleaser with a late surge that briefly brought an upset into view. England held their nerve, though, bowling Italy out for 178 on the final ball 1.

Kolkata, India
England’s players celebrate after the dismissal of Italy captain Harry Manenti during the group match at Eden Gardens on February 16, 2026.
England’s players celebrate after the dismissal of Italy captain Harry Manenti during the group match at Eden Gardens on February 16, 2026. — AFP

Sources

  1. England survive Italy scare to reach T20 World Cup Super Eights [dawn.com] (2026-02-16)
  2. T20 World Cup: England given fright by Italy but qualify for Super 8s - BBC [google.com] (2026-02-16)
  3. England avoid upset against Italy to reach Super 8s [bbc.com] (2026-02-16)
  4. England reach T20 World Cup Super 8s after surviving Italy scare [skysports.com] (2026-02-16)

Highlights

  1. Record burst: Jacks raced to his fifty in 21 balls, an England record for the fastest T20 World Cup half-century, beating Eoin Morgan’s 25-ball fifty against West Indies in 2012 1.
  2. Rebuild partnerships: With England wobbling, Jacks put on 54 in 25 balls with Sam Curran (25) for the sixth wicket, then added 35 in 16 balls with Jamie Overton (15) for the seventh to push them past 200 1.
  3. Late-overs flashpoint: Italy’s Grant Stewart and Jaspreet Singh smashed 21 off Adil Rashid’s 17th over (three sixes), cutting the chase to 30 needed from 21 balls before England pulled it back 1.

Performance Statistics