For the first time in the history of a T20 World Cup, the England cricket team has managed to win over a European team. The two-time world champions ended a long wait with a win against a European team by defeating the Scotland cricket team on February 14th at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
Jinx Broken England Beat Scotland To End European Hoodoo In T20 World Cup 2026
Riding on the fine century by Tom Banton, the England cricket team successfully defeated Scotland by 5 wickets with 10 balls remaining. Banton played a stunning unbeaten knock of 63 runs and took the team to the finish line against the competitive Scotland team.
This game at Kolkata was a must-win match for the England cricket team after they suffered a heavy defeat in their last match against the West Indies. England lost the game by 30 runs and needed to make a strong comeback. Before that, the team managed to open their account by winning two points from their narrow win against Nepal’s national cricket team. Captain Harry Brook knew that the team had to deliver against Scotland, and the team didn’t disappoint their captain.
Tom Banton Played A Match-Winning Knock Against Scotland
The England team had a shaky start as openers Phil Salt and Jos Buttler failed to make it big and were dismissed early, leaving the team at 13 for 2. Tom Banton was the main man for the England cricket team. He was well-supported by Jacob Bethell and Sam Curran. During the final overs, Will Jacks formed a partnership with Will Jacks and helped him finish the chase. Tom Banton won the Player of the Match for his outstanding knock.
Though, Jos Buttler didn’t score big, he achieved a personal milestone as he became the first England cricketer to score 4,000 T20I runs.
Earlier, Scotland posted a target of 152 runs for 10 in 19.4 overs. Captain Richie Berrington scored 49 from 32 balls and missed his half-century by just one run. Opener Michael Jones added 33 runs and was the second-highest scorer for his team.
England’s Qualification Scenario For Super 8s Explained
With this win, England’s hopes for reaching the next stage of the tournament are. For the unversed, only the top two teams from each group will move forward to the next phase of the ongoing tournament, where Super 8 teams will take on each other. After having played three games in the T20 World Cup 2026, England now have four points in their tally and remain present in the race for qualification.
The England cricket team now needs one more win to secure its place in the next round. They will now face Italy in their next match in Kolkata on February 16th.
Teams:
Scotland (Playing XI): George Munsey, Michael Jones, Brandon McMullen, Richie Berrington(c), Tom Bruce, Michael Leask, Matthew Cross(w), Mark Watt, Oliver Davidson, Brad Currie, Brad Wheal
England (Playing XI): Philip Salt, Jos Buttler(w), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Harry Brook(c), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, Jamie Overton, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid
