Italy want more after fairytale chapter at T20 World Cup

Broadcast details for Men's T20 World Cup 2026

On hitting the winning runs, Anthony Mosca raised his arms to the heavens and let out a cry. He kissed his crest, shed a tear. It was a celebration befitting an ICC T20 World Cup breakthrough. And entirely Italian.

Tournament debutants Italy proved that they were not here to make up the numbers or an entertaining intrigue. At Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on Thursday, they put on a polished, dominant performance against fellow Associate nation Nepal, beating them by 10 wickets to register their first victory in a T20 World Cup.

“I don't think you'll see many players cry on the field after a win in the group stages,” acting captain Harry Manenti said in the post-match press conference.

“I think you've got to appreciate what Italy cricket is bringing to the game, understand that the passion is slightly different with the Italians and we will bring that everywhere we go, no matter the level of the tournament or the level of the opposition.”

Italy is famous for a lot of things – its music, its food and its football. Its cricket team made a mark by qualifying for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 through the European qualifiers last year.

Though the world at large is just taking notice, Italy’s cricket breakthrough has been brewing for a while. An affiliate member since 1984, they were awarded Associate status in 1995.

Over the last few years, they have created an ecosystem for cricket. The team is a mix of expats and players of Italian heritage, who have found a common cause in the Azzurri shirt. The coaching team consists of John Davison of Canada and Kevin O'Brien of Ireland – O’Brien himself has been an architect of a few World Cup surprises with Ireland.

Having narrowly missed on qualification for the 2024 T20 World Cup, the Italian team regrouped and overcame that hurdle by defeating teams like Scotland and Ireland to make the cut in 2026.

“I'm hoping what we've managed to do, not just today but in the last few weeks and the last few years, has built a reputation in Italy that we are a federation who are working hard,” added Manenti.

The Italian team is a cultural melting pot, drawing talents from Australia, South Africa, England, India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Of the 15-member squad, none were born in Italy.

“I hope that we also bring the group together,” said Manenti. “We are willing to bring a group of people who do come from across the world to bring them in and welcome them. As a good example, JJ Smuts (who played for South Africa) has just come into our group and he will say the first thing that he feels at home in our group.

“He feels like an Italian straight away and a part of Italian cricket. And we do that with anyone, whether it's a staff member or a player or a person who is helping us here in India with the World Cup. They enjoy spending time with us and I think that's a pretty special thing to be able to bring a group of people from all over the world and have a real connection.”

Apart from the geographical distance, the players also have to contend with the fact that they have to manage their day jobs with their passion and don’t play together as often as they would like.

“If you look at the squad, there's 12 out of the 15 players who have to work outside of cricket,” Manenti said.

“Cris (Crishan Kalugamage) is a good example, he just got the Player of the Match in a World Cup game, winning game, and he makes pizzas for a living back home to try and earn enough money to train. He spins the pizzas.

“Hopefully, in a few years' time, if not sooner, the game grows big enough in Italy that we can play. That's on us as a playing group currently, to create those opportunities by winning games and showing the world what we can do. Then it's on other people, the Federation, the ICC and other teams to be willing to play us.”

Leg-spinner Kalugamage, who works in a pizzeria in Tuscany, weaved a web of mystery around the Nepal batters on Thursday, finishing with 3/18. Benjamin Manenti, Harry’s brother, meanwhile set the tone with 2/9 in his four overs. Even as the Italians were stingy in bowling, they were sharp in fielding, holding on to every catch and even effecting two run outs, including an incredible direct hit by Manenti to run out Nepal’s last player Lalit Rajbanshi to curtail them to 123 in 19.3 overs.

The Mosca brothers, Anthony and Justin, then came out and romped to the target in 12.4 overs without losing a wicket. It was an all-round, polished performance by Italy, of a team that’s consistently punched above their weight.

“At the moment we're ranked 27th in the world, hopefully that's changed today, but we're ranked 27th in the world in a competition of 20 teams,” said the Italian captain, who was ushered into the hot seat after Italy lost their skipper Wayne Madsen in the opening game to a dislocated shoulder.

“If you do the maths, we're outsiders every time we play, no matter who we play against, whether it's Nepal or Scotland or England or West Indies. We'll always be the outsiders, which we thrive on and we love, but we're not wanting to stay there at 27th, we're wanting to climb up.

“By doing that we need to play games, we want other teams to host us and we build facilities that host them back. That's our goal as a team, that will provide opportunities for kids who are currently in Italy, learning the game at a school level, to see us playing in Rome or Milan or Bologna or wherever it might be, to see what the pathway is and to see Harry Menenti or Anthony Mosca or Krushan, whoever it might be, to be playing at the World Cup. If that's the goal for them, then we've created a pathway for them to follow.”

Manenti and his team is laying the groundwork for a cricket revolution, the Italian way.