In a heart-stopping T20 World Cup encounter in Kolkata, England narrowly avoided a monumental upset against tournament underdogs Italy, securing their progression to the Super Eights phase with a 24-run victory. The match culminated in a dramatic finale as Italy’s valiant pursuit of England’s formidable 202-7 fell just short, with the lowest-ranked team bowled out for 178 on the final delivery.
The game’s defining performance came from Will Jacks, who electrified the contest with a record-breaking 21-ball half-century—the fastest fifty in T20 World Cup history—surpassing Eoin Morgan’s previous benchmark set in 2012. Jacks’ unbeaten 53 from just 22 deliveries proved instrumental after England found themselves in a precarious position at 105-5 during the 13th over. His explosive partnerships with Sam Curran (54 runs in 25 balls) and Jamie Overton (35 runs in 16 balls) propelled England past the 200-run threshold for the first time in the tournament.
Italy’s response began disastrously as Jofra Archer struck early, compounded by a spectacular one-handed catch by wicketkeeper Jos Buttler that dismissed Italian captain Harry Manenti. However, Italy mounted a stunning recovery through Ben Manenti’s blistering 60 from 25 balls, featuring six sixes and four fours in a 92-run fourth-wicket stand with Justin Mosca.
The match reached its climax when Grant Stewart’s late assault of 45 from 23 balls, including 21 runs from Adil Rashid’s penultimate over, brought Italy within 30 runs of victory with 21 balls remaining. Ultimately, the chase proved too demanding, securing England’s advancement alongside West Indies from Group C, while Italy exited the tournament with their credibility profoundly enhanced.