Will Jacks: England confident after limping through T20 World Cup group stage

Will Jacks insisted England’s confidence had not been dented by them limping through the first group stage of the T20 World Cup after they were given another scare by Italy.

England underwhelmed in wins against Nepal and Scotland either side of a loss to the West Indies – the only other Test team in their group – but beating Italy has taken them into the Super 8s stage.

As with Nepal and Scotland, it was far from straightforward despite amassing 202 for seven, with Jacks’ T20 best 53 not out from 22 balls rescuing England from 105 for five following a top-order misfire.

The tournament’s lowest-ranked side, who have teachers, factory workers and a pizza chef in the ranks, had their moments in the chase before England closed out a 24-run victory to the relief of Jacks.

“It brings the group together and gives you confidence that you know you can win like that,” Jacks said.

“Whether you expect to win like that or not, it doesn’t matter. Winning like that can only be good for you.

“We’ve got a lot of stuff we can get better at but coming in to today, my own personal expectation and desire is we want to win easily. We don’t want it to be that close and feel those nerves.

“Going forward, it’s more experience and we can never have enough of that. We’ve obviously done it the hard way, we’ve not made it easy, but the most important thing is we are on to the Super 8s.”

England will now head to Sri Lanka, where they recently won both white-ball series, including a 3-0 clean sweep of their hosts in the T20s earlier this month, after avoiding a banana skin in Kolkata.

While Jofra Archer took two wickets in the first over of the reply, Ben Manenti reignited a seesaw contest with a jaw-dropping 60 off 25 deliveries, including six sixes and four fours.

When Jacks burgled his wicket and Sam Curran took two dismissals in two balls, the jig appeared to be up for Italy, only for Grant Stewart to thrash two sixes apiece off Archer and Adil Rashid.

With 30 required off the final two overs, Curran’s death bowling once again came to the fore, having bailed them out of jail against Nepal, as he snared Stewart for 45 in a knock containing five sixes.

Curran finished with three for 22 before Jamie Overton collected two wickets in the final over to claim figures of 4-1-18-3, with Italy all out for 178 as England qualified for the next phase alongside the Windies.

“They played how we expected them to play and I think they were better than us for quite a lot of the game there,” Jacks said.

“As a bowler, I felt like I had to be completely on the mark or I was going to go out the ground and I think that’s something we can learn from them.

“You don’t want to win all four of these games incredibly easily and not be put under any pressure and then suddenly it all goes to dust when it matters. We’ve still got time to peak.”

Jacks blazed his first T20 fifty for England in his 36th match from the number seven spot, having batted without much success in his first 21 matches in the top three.

“To make a mark on the game is something I haven’t done enough of in my T20 career,” Jacks added. “There have been a lot of games and many tours where I’ve not been living up to my own expectations and not doing well for the team.

“To have a match-winning contribution, I’m obviously proud of that.”