Two-time champions England will aim to secure their Super Eights spot when they face T20 World Cup debutants Italy in their final Group C fixture at Eden Gardens on Monday.

Though better known for their fierce football rivalry highlighted by England’s penalty shootout victory in the Euro 2020 final at Wembley, the two nations now lock horns on the cricket field for the first time, adding an intriguing subplot to the contest.

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England enter the clash with renewed confidence after a hard-fought win over Scotland, a result that kept their qualification hopes firmly in their own hands.

A major positive was Tom Banton’s composed half-century at No. 4 during a tricky 153-run chase. On a surface offering bounce and carry — where several batters perished attempting sweep shots, Banton showed restraint, shelving his trademark reverse flicks and instead targeting straight boundaries to produce a mature, match-winning knock.

Despite their reputation for aggressive “Bazball” cricket, England have appeared slightly cautious in the tournament so far — something captain Harry Brook acknowledged after their earlier loss to West Indies.

“We haven’t quite made it as easy as we’d have liked,” Brook said after the Scotland win. “Hopefully we can build momentum starting with Italy.”

Phil Salt, Jos Buttler and Brook himself are yet to deliver consistently. Salt’s brisk 30 against West Indies remains his only significant contribution, while Buttler has failed to convert starts into substantial scores. Brook, too, will be eager to set the tone as captain.

England’s bowling attack looked sharper in their last outing. Jofra Archer exploited pace and bounce effectively in the powerplay, while spinners Adil Rashid and Liam Dawson controlled the middle overs — a blueprint they will look to replicate.

Italy, meanwhile, arrive as confident underdogs.

The debutants registered a commanding 10-wicket victory over Nepal, their first-ever win in the tournament — despite missing regular captain Wayne Madsen, who dislocated his shoulder in their opening match. The 42-year-old remains optimistic about returning for the England clash.

The Mosca brothers, Justin and Anthony, struck unbeaten fifties in the win over Nepal and have been central to Italy’s batting. The Manenti brothers, Harry and Ben, have also contributed significantly with both bat and ball.

Off-spinner Ben Manenti has impressed with the new ball, while leg-spinner Crishan Kalugamage adds variety to the attack after claiming four wickets against Nepal.

Italy will relish the chance to test themselves against England, and an upset victory could dramatically open up the Group C standings, with Scotland still in the mix.

The match begins at 3 pm IST.