England Ends European Jinx as Banton's Blitz Sinks Scotland in T20 WC

During the post-match presentation, Brook said, "Just glad we got over the line. Absolutely, we were over the moon," as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

The team faced a tough challenge against Scotland's resilient batting, but Brook highlighted the team's strong comeback, particularly with their spinners. "They batted well against the spinners in their first spells, but we dragged it back really well," he added.

Brook also praised the performances of key players like Jofra Archer and Tom Banton. "Archer was slamming length, got his lines and lengths perfect and he was bowling gas, so great to see," Brook said, acknowledging Archer's impressive spell.

On Banton's impact at No. 4, Brook commented, "He was awesome, he's slid in really nicely at No.4 and looked to take down the spinners. He played really nicely."

Brook also stressed the importance of a balanced approach, saying, "When it's there to be hit for six, hit it for six. Don't want to hit it too early, but got to get through the group stage." Looking ahead, Brook hopes the win against Scotland marks the beginning of a strong run for England in the tournament, adding, "Hopefully Italy can be the start of our rise."

Meanwhile, Scotland captain Richie Berrington shared his thoughts on his team's performance after their loss in the T20 World Cup, highlighting the importance of partnerships and the challenges faced during their middle overs.

"Thought it was a really good surface to bat on. Difference was partnerships through the middle, we fought back really well. We knew spin was going to be key through the middle, but our execution was slightly off. We didn't quite click in that phase. Just a few more runs on the board would have been nice. [Kolkata] Loved our time here, felt like our Indian home, but we move on to Mumbai and Nepal," Berrington said.

After winning the Player of the Match, England's Tom Banton praised the opposition while reflecting on his team's focus and approach to the game.

"Tough game against West Indies, full credit to them. Our full focus was on tonight and then on to Italy. T20 cricket is a high risk game, you have to keep backing yourself, at times it goes against you. Have to keep coming back. When I watch TV in India, it seem to be absolute carnage but there was some spin and a bit of hold [in Mumbai]. Nice to get some tonight. [Middle order] It's different, when your match-up comes on you've got to take it down. The situation dictates how you bat. Today I gave myself a chance and then catch up down the line. Just want to win games, if I'm contributing that's amazing," Tom Banton said.

A sensational half-century from Tom Banton and a three-wicket haul by spinner Adil Rashid were the highlights as England defeated Scotland by five wickets in their ICC T20 World Cup clash at Kolkata's Eden Gardens on Saturday, ending their side's winless streak against European nations in the tournament.

A winless streak that started with a shock loss to the Netherlands in the 2009 T20 WC at Lord's has finally ended in Kolkata, after two losses to the Netherlands, a loss to Ireland, and no results against Ireland and Scotland in between.

Now, England is placed second in Group C with two wins and a loss, with four points, and Scotland is in third with a win and two losses. With two wins in two matches, the West Indies is at the top.

- ANI