Kolkata, India – Historic Debut for Italy at the Twenty20 World Cup
Italy marked its presence at the Twenty20 World Cup on Monday, concluding a 45-year wait by winning the toss against Scotland and opting to field first. This match serves as Italy’s debut in a major International Cricket Council event, a monumental step since the country’s cricket federation was established in 1980.
Qualification and Team Composition
Italy secured its place in the tournament by finishing second to the Netherlands in the European qualifying rounds, officially becoming the 25th nation to compete at this level. Conversely, Scotland, who faced defeat against Italy in the qualifiers, found a spot in the tournament as a replacement for Bangladesh after the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s request to reallocate their matches from India to Sri Lanka was denied due to security issues.
Leading the Italian team is Wayne Madsen, a South African-born cricketer who gained eligibility through his Italian ancestry. Madsen expressed a strong desire for his team to make a significant impression in this World Cup. In a unique twist, the Italian lineup features two sets of Australian siblings with Italian heritage: opening batsmen Anthony and Justin Mosca, alongside Harry and Benjamin Manenti.
Scotland’s Journey and Match Details
On the other side, Scotland’s journey began with a loss to West Indies in their opening match of the tournament. Captain Richie Berrington expressed ambition to achieve a substantial total and welcomed the chance to bat first.
In addition to the Italy-Scotland match, Monday’s events included games featuring Zimbabwe against Oman in Group B at Colombo, and a matchup between 2024 runner-up South Africa and Canada in Ahmedabad.
Match Lineups
Scotland: George Munsey, Michael Jones, Brandon McMullen, Richie Berrington (captain), Tom Bruce, Matthew Cross, Mark Watt, Michael Leask, Oliver Davidson, Brad Wheal, Brad Currie.
Italy: Anthony Mosca, Justin Mosca, J J Smuts, Wayne Madsen (captain), Harry Manenti, Benjamin Manenti, Grant Stewart, Gian-Piero Meade, Marcus Campopiano, Crishan Kalugamage, Ali Hasan.
