Kolkata, February 14, 2026 –England vs Scotland T20 ICC World Cup: On a Valentine’s Day that saw no love lost between the “Auld Enemies,” England bounced back from their recent defeat to the West Indies with a hard-fought win. In front of a passionate Kolkata crowd, England’s “mystery man” at No. 4, Tom Banton, silenced his critics with an unbeaten 63, while veteran leg-spinner Adil Rashid dismantled the Scottish middle order to set up a successful chase of 153.
England vs Scotland Match Overview: A Game of Two Collapses
England captain Harry Brook won the toss and elected to bowl, a decision that bore fruit immediately as Jofra Archer removed George Munsey and Brandon McMullen in a single over. Scotland, however, showed immense grit as Richie Berrington (49) and Tom Bruce (24) counter-attacked, putting on a 71-run stand that threatened to take the total beyond 180.
The tide turned in the 13th over when Adil Rashid and Liam Dawson triggered a catastrophic collapse. Scotland lost 5 wickets for just 15 runs in a span of 22 balls. It took a late flourish from young Oliver Davidson (20)* to push the score to 152.
England’s chase started in disaster, losing both Phil Salt and Jos Buttler within the first 12 balls. At 13/2, the pressure was immense, but a 66-run partnership between Jacob Bethell and Tom Banton stabilized the ship. Despite losing Bethell and Brook in quick succession, Banton found a reliable partner in Sam Curran, eventually guiding England home with 10 balls to spare.
Match Scorecard: Detailed Statistics
1st Innings: Scotland Batting
| Batter | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
| George Munsey | c Tom Banton b Jofra Archer | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 66.67 |
| Michael Jones | c Jacob Bethell b Sam Curran | 33 | 20 | 5 | 1 | 165.00 |
| Brandon McMullen | c Phil Salt b Jofra Archer | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Richie Berrington (c) | lbw b Adil Rashid | 49 | 32 | 5 | 2 | 153.13 |
| Tom Bruce | c Sam Curran b Liam Dawson | 24 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 133.33 |
| Michael Leask | c Sam Curran b Liam Dawson | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 25.00 |
| Matthew Cross (wk) | c Tom Banton b Adil Rashid | 8 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 88.89 |
| Mark Watt | b Adil Rashid | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Oliver Davidson | not out | 20 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 133.33 |
| Brad Wheal | c Will Jacks b Jamie Overton | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 66.67 |
| Brad Currie | run out (Harry Brook) | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 40.00 |
| Extras | (lb 2, w 5) | 7 | – | – | – | – |
| TOTAL | (19.4 Overs) | 152 | RR: 7.73 |
England Bowling Performance
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Econ |
| Adil Rashid | 4.0 | 0 | 36 | 3 | 9.00 |
| Jofra Archer | 4.0 | 0 | 24 | 2 | 6.00 |
| Liam Dawson | 4.0 | 0 | 34 | 2 | 8.50 |
| Jamie Overton | 4.0 | 0 | 23 | 1 | 5.75 |
| Sam Curran | 3.4 | 0 | 33 | 1 | 9.00 |
2nd Innings: England Batting (Target: 153)
| Batter | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
| Philip Salt | c Tom Bruce b B. McMullen | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 66.67 |
| Jos Buttler (wk) | c B. McMullen b Brad Currie | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 75.00 |
| Jacob Bethell | c Brad Wheal b Oliver Davidson | 32 | 28 | 2 | 1 | 114.29 |
| Tom Banton | not out | 63 | 41 | 4 | 3 | 153.66 |
| Harry Brook (c) | c Brad Wheal b Michael Leask | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Sam Curran | c Matthew Cross b Brad Wheal | 28 | 20 | 1 | 2 | 140.00 |
| Will Jacks | not out | 16 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 160.00 |
| Extras | (w 7) | 7 | – | – | – | – |
| TOTAL | (18.2 Overs) | 155/5 | RR: 8.45 |
Scotland Bowling Performance
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Econ |
| Oliver Davidson | 2.0 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 6.00 |
| Brad Currie | 3.0 | 0 | 21 | 1 | 7.00 |
| Brad Wheal | 3.2 | 0 | 23 | 1 | 6.90 |
| Brandon McMullen | 3.0 | 0 | 23 | 1 | 7.67 |
| Michael Leask | 4.0 | 0 | 33 | 1 | 8.25 |
| Mark Watt | 3.0 | 0 | 43 | 0 | 14.33 |
Post-Match Analysis: Key Takeaways
1. Tom Banton’s Redemption
After scoring just 4 runs in his previous two matches, Tom Banton was under immense pressure to justify his spot at No. 4. His 63 off 41* was a masterclass in reading the situation. He was dropped on 7 by Matthew Cross—a mistake that arguably cost Scotland the match—and he punished the lapse by dismantling Scotland’s premier spinner, Mark Watt.
2. The Rashid-Dawson Squeeze
While the Scottish batters looked comfortable against England’s pace, they had no answers for the spin duo. Adil Rashid’s tactical change of ends allowed him to find the extra dip needed to trap Berrington LBW. The fact that Scotland slumped from 113/3 to 127/8 shows the psychological edge England’s veterans still hold over Associate neighbors.
3. Scotland’s Powerplay Prowess
Despite the loss, Scotland’s opening bowlers Brandon McMullen and Brad Currie were world-class. Dismissing Salt and Buttler early gave Scotland a real chance at an upset. If Scotland can find more consistency in their middle-order batting, they remain a dangerous threat to any “Full Member” team.
4. England’s Opening Concerns
A recurring theme for England this tournament has been the failure of the Salt-Buttler partnership. With a combined total of 5 runs today, England’s engine room is currently sputtering. Captain Harry Brook noted post-match that while the middle order stepped up, the top order needs more “clarity and intent” heading into the next match against Italy.
Player of the Match: Tom Banton
For his match-winning 63 (41)*, which steered England out of a precarious 13/2 situation.