Tom Banton comes of age with under-pressure 63 as England edge Scotland by 5 wickets

With Banton and Jacob Bethell within the center, few anticipated England’s first correct boundary to come back within the third ball of the fifth over however that’s what transpired as Scotland stored the English on their toes. Bethell opened the floodgates with a six, adopted by back-to-back fours. England in the end ended powerplay at 43/2, a far cry from the place they’d have needed to be in at first of the run chase.

Tom Banton in motion. (Categorical photograph by Partha Paul)

After a few quiet overs after powerplay, Banton switched gears as Mark Watt was launched, depositing the spinner over the ropes for 3 monster sixes, mining 22 off the ninth over. Bethell and Harry Brook then fell within the area of seven balls and England have been stumbling once more at 86/4.

England sputtered to their 100 within the thirteenth over with Scotland making it fairly powerful to get boundaries with glorious fielding. Banton, nevertheless, ended the boundary-less streak with a straight hit for a 4 to deliver up his half-century.  Sam Curran, in the meantime, performed an ideal anchor to Banton, often pulling off the massive hits however principally stored the innings collectively. He couldn’t keep until the top although, as a wild swing off Brad Wheal ended his evening. The 27-year-old Banton in the end proved to be the distinction for the Three Lions.

Rashid’s star flip

Earlier, Jofra Archer struck type as he picked up two wickets within the third over to jolt Scotland early, eradicating George Munsey and McMullen. Michael Jones fell to Curran for 33 as Scotland ended the powerplay on 42/3.

England launched spin proper after the powerplay to pile the strain on Scotland as Adil Rashid and Liam Dawson stored issues comparatively tight initially, besides for infrequent boundaries. All hopes of Scotland’s revival have been now on the broad shoulders of captain Richie Berrington and Tom Bruce, the identical partnership which had pissed off the West Indies of their first match on the Eden Gardens.

BERRINGTON OF Scotland performs a shot in opposition to England in the course of the ICC MEN’S T20 WORLD CUP match at Eden Gardens Kolkata on Saturday, Feb 14, 2026.Categorical photograph by Partha Paul.

And proper on cue, Berrington and Bruce began rising into the match quickly as they clobbered Rashid for two sixes and a 4 in simply his second over earlier than meting out the identical remedy to Dawson who was smashed for 13 runs within the tenth over.  Brook introduced again Curran and Jamie Overton in a bid to interrupt the partnership however the Scottish batters stored the scoreboard ticking, mentioning their 100 within the twelfth over. It will in the end take Dawson to strike as Bruce, attempting to go for a slog sweep, performed it straight into the fingers of Curran. Berrington departed quickly after being snared by Rashid, lacking his half-century by only a single run.

After that, Scotland’s resistance appeared to have damaged as Leask fell to Dawson for 1 and Matthew Cross went again for 8, courtesy of Rashid. Rashid struck once more in the identical over with a peach of a supply, bamboozling Mark Watt as Scotland ultimately posted an under-par 152, with Berrington ruing they left 20-plus runs on the market.

Temporary scores: Temporary scores: Scotland 152 (Richie Berrington 49, Adil Rashid 3/36) misplaced to England 155/5 (Tom Banton 63*, Oliver Davidson 1/12)