England defeated Scotland by five wickets in India and regained their place in the group for the 2026 T20 World Cup.
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Published February 14, 2026
Tom Bunton’s unbeaten 63 gave England a five-wicket victory over Scotland in the T20 World Cup in Kolkata on Saturday, propelling Harry Brook’s side to the Super Eights.
England will safely progress to the next round if they win their final Group C game against Italy, also played at the Eden Gardens Stadium, on Monday.
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England, who beat Scotland for 152, took the score to 155-5 in 18.2 overs as Jacob Bethel scored 32, Sam Curran scored 28 and Will Jacks (16 off 10 balls) hit a six and a four to get the job done.
As the new white ball swung under the setting sun floodlights, England stumbled at the start of their chase.
Phil Salt dropped three balls to Brandon McMullen for just two and it was 13-2 by the time Jos Buttler picked McMullen off Brad Currie.
Scotland bowled solidly until Bethel broke the shackles in the fifth over by hitting McMullen for six and two fors.
Spinner Mark Watt was also punished, conceding 22 in the first over, although he lost three big sixes to Banton.
The 66-run partnership ended when Bethel, a 32-year-old left-hander, tipped Oliver Davidson’s shot from the leg side into the grateful hands of Brad Whale at short fine leg.
Captain Brook didn’t last long, scooping Michael Leask over his shoulder to make it 86-4 for Whale, but England were always in the lead and headed home with 10 balls to spare.
Earlier, England’s bowlers held court and justified Brook’s defensive decision to win the toss.
After losing 196 runs to West Indies on Wednesday, which left Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium thrashed all over, England’s attack took more control at Eden Gardens.
Captain Richie Berrington top-scored for Scotland with 49 off 32 balls (5 fours, two sixes).
He and Tom Bruce made 71 for the fourth wicket, but that was their only partnership of note.
Spinner Liam Dawson ended the 13th over with Bruce caught for 24 and Curran playing it safe at deep square leg.
When Adil Rashid trapped Berrington LBW in the next over, Scotland collapsed, losing their last seven wickets for 39 runs from 113-3.
Jofra Archer, who had scored high in his previous two matches, made an early breakthrough and finished with an impressive record of 2 wins and 24 losses from his four overs.
In the second over, he top edged George Munsey to Banton, and two balls later McMullen was caught by Salt in the deep.
Michael Jones (33) holed out from Curran to Bethel and Scotland were 42-3 after six overs of powerplay, with no threat to their overall competitiveness.
Rashid took 3-36 from his four overs, the best of any England bowler, while Dawson took 2-34.
