England vs Italy Match Report: Will Jacks’ Blitz powers England to 24 runs win in T20 World Cup 2026

England produced a commanding batting display to post an imposing 202 for seven in their 20 overs, setting the tone for a high-scoring contest. Even though Jos Buttler's dismissal occurred earlier than expected, a 76-run stand before he got out helped put England back on track with Philip Salt and Jacob Bethell establishing partnerships for 76 runs with both players scoring quickly to help put the innings back onto an even keel. Tom Banton also made a valuable contribution with his quick-fire 30 which helped maintain the pace of the innings, while Harry Brook's rapid contribution ensured that there was no loss of momentum for England. England then continued to pile on the runs during the death overs with their middle order taking full advantage of loose balls during this period to push their total score beyond 200.

Italy started their innings shakily with two wickets falling during the first over of their innings, leaving them behind the required run-rate right from the start. However, Justin Mosca provided some impetus for Italy by scoring an aggressive 43 runs, then rebuilding the innings alongside skipper Harry Manenti. The innings underwent a massive transformation when Ben Manenti exploded for 60 runs from just 25 balls including 4 fours and 6 monstrous sixes. This knock by Ben revived Italy's hopes of winning by reducing the required run-rate to less than 8 per over and temporarily putting pressure on England during the middle period of Italy's innings.

When Justin Mosca left the playing field, England regained their dominance, causing the Italian team to collapse as they lost their momentum. Grant Stewart came into the game with a very strong performance, getting a fast 45 runs, however wickets fell at regular intervals as the required run rate climbed. Jamie Overton bowled a key spell taking three wickets with only 18 runs against him, and Sam Curran matched him in dismantling the lower order as well with three wickets for 29 runs. Their consistent and disciplined bowling never allowed Italy to seriously threaten the target, even though there were brief bursts of aggressive hitting totals at the end of the innings.

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England’s late surge proves decisive

Will Jacks unleashed a blistering unbeaten knock of 53 off only 22 balls to be the major turning point of England’s innings during the final four overs, changing a competitive total into a daunting total and placing considerable pressure on Italy to perform from the outset to chase down this total. Jacks’ late explosion equally exposed the limitations of Italy’s bowling to bowl at the death, resulting in many boundaries and difficulty with field placements. Jacks created the scoring buffer needed to allow England’s bowling unit to bowl with confidence when Italy completed their innings at 178 runs, meaning that England received a comprehensive 24-run victory, strengthening their superb position within the overall group standings.

Despite displaying commendable fighting spirit, particularly through their middle-order hitters, Italy’s early collapse and their inability to consistently build partnerships severely hampered their chances of success. Conversely, England provided an impressive balance of power in both batting and bowling, with an explosive batting performance and disciplined bowling. This result also provided confirmation of the depth and adaptability of England’s performance to pressure, potentially highlighting that they can be a strong contender as they progress toward the knockout stages of the tournament.

Top Performances

Will Jacks starred with a blazing unbeaten 53 off just 22 balls, powering England past the 200 mark with a brutal late assault. Ben Manenti kept Italy alive in the chase with a sensational 60 off 25 deliveries, smashing six sixes in a counterattacking knock. With the ball, Jamie Overton delivered a match-turning spell of 3/18, while Sam Curran also claimed three wickets to dismantle Italy’s lower order and seal control.

Key Moments

England’s innings pivoted dramatically in the death overs when Jacks launched a boundary spree that added crucial runs and shifted pressure entirely onto Italy. The chase briefly tilted when Manenti and Grant Stewart accelerated, but Overton’s double strike broke the momentum at a critical stage. Curran then removed the remaining resistance in quick succession, ensuring Italy never closed the gap. The early wickets in Italy’s innings and England’s late batting surge ultimately proved decisive factors that defined the outcome of this high-scoring contest.

Brief Score

England: 202/7 (20 overs)
Will Jacks 53* (22); Grant Stewart 2/51

Italy: 178 all out (20 overs)
Ben Manenti 60 (25); Jamie Overton 3/18

England won by 24 runs