England Defeat Italy After Ben Manenti and Grant Stewart Shine in Italy’s 178

England won the match against Italy by 24 runs. Batting first, England set a challenging 203-run target in 20 overs. Phil Salt provided a brisk start with 28 off 15 balls, striking two fours and two sixes. Tom Banton’s 30 off 21 balls and Will Jacks’ explosive 53 off just 22 deliveries propelled England to a formidable score. Captain Harry Brook and Sam Curran contributed valuable runs to maintain momentum.

Italy Fight Back

Chasing 204, Italy began with early setbacks, losing Anthony Mosca and JJ Smuts in the first over. Justin Mosca stabilized the innings with 43 off 34 balls, while captain Harry Manenti added 12. The innings gained momentum with a scintillating performance from Ben Manenti, who smashed 60 off 25 balls. Grant Stewart also played a fine knock of 45 off 23 balls to keep Italy in contention.

During the powerplay, Italy scored 47/3 in 6 overs, with Ben Manenti hitting 32 and Justin Mosca 26. The duo added quick runs to reach 100 in just 11 overs. By 14 overs, Italy were 128/4. However, wickets at crucial moments halted their momentum.

England’s Bowling Clinches the Win

England’s bowlers, led by Jofra Archer (2/35) and Jamie Overton (3/18), kept Italy’s chase under control. Overton’s crucial strikes at key intervals prevented Italy from closing the gap. Sam Curran’s 3-wicket haul further dented Italy’s hopes, leaving them all out for 178 in 20 overs, 24 runs short of the target.

The victory strengthens England’s position in the group.