England choose to bat in an attempt to secure a Super Eights position, with both teams remaining the same.
Wayne Madsen from Italy is still out of action due to the dislocated shoulder he suffered while fielding against Scotland.
On Monday afternoon in Kolkata, England opted to bat first against Italy after winning their fourth consecutive toss. They will secure their spot in the next stage of the T20 World Cup by winning.
Harry Brook Leads England’s Push for Super Eights Spot
It represents a chance for their batting order to finally harmonize for the first time since reaching India, following a lackluster beginning to the World Cup. When asked if England had performed their best cricket thus far, captain Harry Brook smiled and replied: “I believe everyone realizes we haven’t, but we’ve managed to get by.”
They remain the same as the squad that defeated Scotland on Saturday, with Jamie Overton kept as the third seamer over Luke Wood. Brook urged his team to be “fearless” and justified his choice to bat first by stating: “The stats don’t show much difference; we simply prefer to bat today.”
Italy, coming off their impressive ten-wicket victory against Nepal in Mumbai, were glad to bowl first, which substitute captain Harry Manenti stated was the strategy from the beginning. Manenti mentioned that his team has settled down again after the excitement of their win, Italy’s first at a T20 World Cup.
“The atmosphere has been fantastic.” Everyone has been active and engaged… Securing a victory boosts our confidence,” he stated, while affirming a consistent lineup.
Wayne Madsen is still out of action due to the dislocated shoulder he suffered while fielding against Scotland in Italy’s first match, but he aims to return for their last group game. “He’s progressing nicely,” Manenti stated. “He’s set to attempt again in a few days versus West Indies, so keep your fingers crossed.”
Italy can still advance to the Super Eights by winning their last two group matches, but they must defeat both England and West Indies
