Kolkata, Feb 16 (NationPress) Italy's skipper Harry Manenti expressed immense pride in his team's spirited performance, even after suffering a 24-run defeat to England in their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Group C encounter at Eden Gardens. He noted that the associate nation demonstrated their ability to compete with the world’s elite.

“We were fully aware that England would come at us hard, as that's their style of play, which is quite entertaining. Yet, we knew that if we could secure wickets early in the match, we would remain in contention for the latter stages,” stated Manenti during the post-match presentation.

England managed to score 202/7, with Will Jacks playing a pivotal role in their innings. Manenti acknowledged the contribution of the England player, saying, “He batted brilliantly, and it’s evident that when you take the innings deep with power-hitting in the middle, anything can happen.”

He further remarked that Italy recognized the daunting task of restricting a strong England batting line-up on a favorable pitch and believed that while England surged ahead, the target was still attainable.

“We aimed to do our utmost on a relatively small field on a good pitch against a formidable line-up to limit their total as much as possible. We knew that taking early wickets could help, and as you can see, a target of 200 wasn't excessively above par today. However, we likely allowed them to score a few too many during our chase,” he explained.

Italy's response featured an impressive counterattack from Ben Manenti and a late surge from Grant Stewart, both of whom received high praise from their captain, who emphasized the significance of partnerships in giving Italy a fighting chance.

“That was a remarkable innings. We lost a few early wickets, but for him to come in and start striking the ball immediately really applied pressure on England. Similarly, Grant Stewart maintained that momentum towards the end. It shows that when you forge a partnership and put some pressure on, anything is possible,” he noted.

Manenti highlighted that Italy’s performances in the tournament have illustrated their increasing competitiveness, stating that competing strongly against higher-ranked teams is a significant confidence booster.

“Many of these 39s have placed us under pressure against some major cricketing nations, and that’s truly exciting from a sporting perspective. One of the top-ranked teams in the world faced us, while we are ranked 27th. To come out here and challenge them is something we should take great confidence in as we move forward,” he affirmed.

Manenti expressed deep admiration for Ben Manenti's all-around performance and Stewart’s fearless hitting, stating, “Firstly, I was proud of him. I’ve witnessed his hard work, especially on his batting, which often doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Tonight, he had the chance to demonstrate his skills to the world.”

He continued, “The same applies to Grant Stewart; he usually bats lower down in the county system, and for him to showcase his talent tonight is a point of pride for me as captain.”

Looking ahead, Manenti made it clear that Italy will continue to play with courage, concluding with a confident note about their future intentions.

“We have nothing to lose. We approached today with that mindset. It is our responsibility to compete fiercely and truly challenge our opponents, and that’s our goal throughout this competition,” he wrapped up.