New Delhi: The Italians didn’t have an ideal debut in the T20 World Cup 2026 as they lost to Scotland by 73 runs at Eden Gardens. For Scotland, Michael Leask and George Munsey stepped up in bringing the victory home after losing their campaign opener to West Indies by 35 runs. But, the Italian squad, drawn from multiple countries and continents, did put up a tough fight, considering most of them balance cricket with jobs like a pizza-maker, carpenter, teacher and more.
Munsey, dropped on 40, went on to smash 84 as Scotland set a total of 207/4 off their 20 overs. Leask’s 22 runs from the final five balls of the innings were a treat to watch. The duo also managed to carry this momentum with the ball. Leask dismissed Italian opener Justin Mosca with the first ball, as Munsey took an excellent diving catch to his right.
Despite a 73-run partnership between brothers Ben and Harry Manenti, Italy were always behind the rate and once they were removed, Scotland bowled out the tail of the Italian batting line-up registering a comfortable win.
Italy’s skipper captain Wayne Madsen was unable to bat as he had dislocated his shoulder while fielding, and Italy were bowled out for 134 in 16.4 overs.
Leask finished with figures of 4-17, while Mark Watt added 2 wickets. And, Munsey took four catches.
Iceland Cricket didn’t hold back from dropping their ‘saucy’ comments on the fiasco.
“The home of haggis thumps the pasta boys by 73 runs. More sauce next time, please,” Iceland Cricket wrote in a tweet on their X account.
The home of haggis thumps the pasta boys by 73 runs. More sauce next time, please!
— Iceland Cricket (@icelandcricket) February 9, 2026
Who are the pasta boys?
If Scotland came in as a replacement to Bangladesh, Italy made it to the tournament on the back of a historic run in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier 2025.
They claimed the second position following wins against Scotland and Guernsey, and qualified alongside the Netherlands.
This performance comes even though the Italians don’t really have traditional grass wickets. The team practises on artificial (AstroTurf) pitches like Roma cricket ground (Spinaceto, Rome), which is a key venue for the Italian national team’s local training. The Simar cricket ground in Rome and the Royal Padova cricket ground in Padova are also some popular cricket training grounds.
The Italian coaching staff is led by John Davison as head coach. Davison is a former Canadian international cricketer and captain. He is credited with hitting the fastest World Cup century (off 67 balls) against the West Indies in 2003. He is supported by assistant coaches Kevin O’Brien and Douglas Brown. Peter Di Venuto is the manager.
Much like the USA, which has a lot of Indian origin players, the Italian squad has players drawn from multiple countries and continents. Alongside Italians of Indian heritage are players with Pakistani and Sri Lankan roots. And, balancing cricket with everyday professions is a reality for many in the Italian squad.
Italian opener Justin Mosca teaches physical education at a school in Sydney, while his brother Anthony teaches carpentry at a juvenile detention centre.
Bowler Crishan Kalugamage, who relocated from Sri Lanka to Italy as a teenager, works as a pizza-maker. On the other hand, Zain Ali, whose father left Pakistan to pursue a medical career in Italy, is employed as a mechanical engineer.
Born in Punjab, Jaspreet Singh has long juggled his passion for cricket with earning a living, previously driving for Uber in the UK and now training in Birmingham.
This diverse squad is led by 42-year-old Wayne Madsen, a South African born Italian sportsman who plays professional cricket and previously played field hockey. The 15-member squad also includes former South African international J. J. Smuts, and another pair of brothers, Harry Manenti and Benjamin Manenti, along with the Mosca brothers.
Next, Italy will face Nepal on 12 February at the Wankhede stadium.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
Also read: Pakistan survive the Netherlands scare in thrilling T20 World Cup opener