England Vs Italy Highlights, T20 World Cup 2026: Sam Curran's Super Bowling Effort Powers ENG To 25-Run Win Over Azzurri

Good afternoon, cricket fans! This is the start of our live blog covering England’s T20 World Cup match against Italy at Eden Gardens. Stay tuned for pre-match and toss updates as they take place.

• Fixture: England vs Italy, Group C Match 29

• Series: ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026

• Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata

• Date: Monday, February 16, 2026

• Time: 3:00 PM IST

England: Philip Salt, Jos Buttler (wk), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Harry Brook (c), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, Jamie Overton, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Ben Duckett, Luke Wood, Josh Tongue, Rehan Ahmed.

Italy: Justin Mosca, Anthony Mosca, JJ Smuts, Harry Manenti (c), Ben Manenti, Marcus Campopiano, Grant Stewart, Gian Meade (wk), Jaspreet Singh, Crishan Kalugamage, Ali Hasan, Wayne Madsen, Syed Naqvi, Zain Ali, Thomas Draca.

England captain Harry Brook won the toss and opted to bat first today.

Harry Brook (ENG): "We are gonna have a bat first today. There's not much in it stats wise. Going out there with the bat, being fearless and putting pressure on the opposition, not thinking about the result. Same team. Everybody knows we haven't."

Harry Manenti (ITA): "We were going to bowl anyway, so it works nicely. We were tossing and turning what to do, nice I didn't have to make the decision. Coming of the win gives us the confidence. We came into the tournament confident. We are unchanged. Wayno is tracking well, he is not going to be ready today, will try in a few days time."

England: Philip Salt, Jos Buttler (wk), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Harry Brook (c), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, Jamie Overton, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid.

Italy: Justin Mosca, Anthony Mosca, JJ Smuts, Harry Manenti (c), Ben Manenti, Marcus Campopiano, Grant Stewart, Gian Meade (wk), Jaspreet Singh, Crishan Kalugamage, Ali Hasan.

Salt and Buttler open the innings for England, with Smuts having the new ball for Italy. It's a good start for England too, with Salt dispatching the very first ball for a boundary.

England lost the wicket of their premier batter Jos Buttler, who fell on the bowl of Harry Manenti while playing a false shot only to sky it to fall into for Grant Stewart's safe hands. Jacob Bethell has come at No.3 and is going strong against a spiritied Italian bowling attack.

ENG 33/1 (3)

Phil Salt, who was looking dangerous on the crease, fell off a beautiful catch by Anthony Mosca at the deep square boundary. Ali Hasan is the bowler, who got the priced wicket as ENG lost their 2nd batter. Tom Banter joins Jacob Bethell (22*) at the crease.

ENG 56/2 (6)

Half of the England's innings has come to an end and till now it has been a competitive battle between bat and ball. While England have managed to play with a healthy run-rate, Italy have take three key England wickets.

ENG 82/3 (10)

While England have maintained a good scoring rate, Italy have also done remarkably well by chipping in with wickets at regular intervals. Sam Curran and Will Jacks have a daunting task at their hands to take their side to a competitive total.

ENG 114/5 (14)

Phil Salt takes Benjamin Manenti for 20 runs in the 16th over and gives the much-needed impetus to England innings. It's dangerous signs for Italy as Jacks and Curran are looking in sublime form and England on course to score 200.

ENG 144/5 (16)

England have posted a mammoth 202 runs against Italy at the Eden Gardens on the back of Will Jack's blistering 53 not out off just 22 balls. ENG have score 120 runs in the last 10 overs taking Italy bowlers to cleaners.

ENG 202/7 (20)

England, who were loitering at 105/5 in 12.4 have gone on to cross the 200-run mark and Will Jacks has been at the centre of the catalyst for them who blazed a 22-ball 53 to take his team to 202/6. It is the fastest T20I fifty by an English batter in the T20 World Cup history as he slammed it in just 21 deliveries.

Disastrous start Italy as they lose 2 wickets in the very first over. First Anthony Mosca and then JJ Smuts fell prey off Jofra Archer's fierce pace. ITA under heaps of trouble with J Mosco and skipper H Manenti on the crease.

ITA 1/2 (1)

The crisis worsens for Italy as they lose their 3 wickets in the form of Harry Manenti. The skipper departs after scoring 12 of 11 balls off Jamie Overton and it's a big blow to Italy's hopes of chasing down the gigantic total.

ITA 22/3 (4)

Ben Manenti and Justin Mosca have carved a brisk 34-run stand for the 4th wicket. Both the batter have taken England spinners to cleaners, however the target is still stiff and Italy would want them to keep going as look as they can if they want to come close to chasing the target.

ITA 56/3 (7)

Ben Manenti (40*) and Justin Mosca (39*) have forged a 71-run partnership for Italy that too at a brisk pace keeping Italy in the chase. The pitch has become a belter but Italy still need a mammoth 110 from 54 balls to win the match.

ITA 93/3 (11)

Italy's run-chase took a major hit as Ben Manenti departs after scoring a dazzling 60 runs off just 25 balls. The Italian all-rounder took Will Jacks to all parts of the ground before eventually falling off the last ball of his over, where he took 20 runs.

ITA 128/4 (14)

Sam Curran has derailed Italy's chase with 2 wickets in an over. He dismissed Marcus Campopiano and Gian-Piero Meade in consecutive balls to get England if front of the game. Italy now need 64 off 24 balls to win.

ITA 139/7 (16)

First ball is a dot ball followed by a wicket in the 2nd ball as Jaspreet Singh departs from 12.

Italy need 25 from 4 balls now.

Third one is again a dot ball by Overton leaving 25 off 3 balls.

Another dot ball leaves 25 off 2.

One more dot ball as Hasan could get bat to ball.

Wicket at the last ball and Italy is all out for 178 and England win the match by 25 runs.

ITA 178 (20)