Quick results: Italy (124/0 in 12.4 overs) beat Nepal (123 in 20 overs) by 10 wickets in Mumbai in a Group C match.
ITA vs NEP T20 WORLD CUP 2026: HIGHLIGHTS | SCORECARD
Who would have thought that Italy’s first World Cup triumph in 2026 would not come on a football pitch, but in the Cricket World Cup? In a year where Italy’s football team is in danger of missing out on a third consecutive FIFA World Cup, their cricket team has soared and the national flag has flown high on the world stage.
Italy reigned supreme at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday as they claimed their first ever victory in the history of the T20 World Cup. The Azzurri stunned Nepal by 10 wickets in a dominant Group C encounter at the iconic Mumbai venue – a victory that spoke of faith, guts and sheer determination.
Nepal came in as favourites, on top of nearly toppling the 2022 champions of England and cheered by the roaring sea of red. Yet Italy were fearless. They didn’t just win – they dominated and proved to the world that their triumph was no fluke. The Azzurri have arrived.
Italy’s tour of the tournament got off to a rough start with a 73-run loss to Scotland in which captain Wayne Madsen injured his shoulder. It might have been an obstacle too hard to overcome. But instead, Italy took a fearless approach and refused to let adversity define them.
Against all odds they rose. Joe Burns, their qualifying hero, was missing and Madsen’s injury threatened to derail their hopes. They looked fragile on paper – but on the pitch they were unstoppable. Every run and every delivery revealed hearts that refused to waver and spirits that refused to bend.
Leading with calm authority, Harry Manenti led Italy as they raced past Nepal’s 124-run target, completing the chase in 44 balls. Every shot, every run sent a clear message: the Azzurri were here, brave, fearless and ready to make history.
KALUGAMAGE, MANENTI ROCK NEPAL
After being asked to bat first, Nepal lost the early wicket of Kushal Bhurtel, but Aasif Sheikh and skipper Rohit Paudel held the innings together to help Nepal score 45 runs in the powerplay. However, from that point on, the Italian duo of Crishan Kalugamage and Ben Manenti made the Nepalese batsmen work hard for every run.
Paudel, who scored 23, and Aasif Sheikh, who gave 20, fell in quick succession as Kalugamage and Manenti squandered all their early efforts. Dipendra Singh Airee, who scored 17, and Aarif Sheikh, who gave 27, then tried to steady the innings and put on 43 runs for the third wicket, with Nepal strong at 93 for 3 in the 14th over.
From there, Nepal’s innings collapsed like a house of cards and were bowled out for 123 in 19.3 overs. The bowlers picked Kalugamage who finished with 4 overs, 18 runs and 3 wickets while Manenti took 2 wickets. Ali Hasan, JJ Smuts and Jaspreet Singh claimed 1 wicket each to help Italy dominate the innings and set up a historic win.
MOSCOW BROTHERS MAKE HAY
Italy’s chase was fueled by the Mosca brothers, Anthony and Justin, who ensured that Nepal would never have a chance of a comeback. Once they scored 68 runs in the power over, the outcome was all but decided as Moscas batted with relentless authority.
Their fifty-run partnership came from just four overs, showing their dominance. Justin Mosca was the first to reach his fifty, reaching the milestone off 37 balls. He went on to remain unbeaten on 66 off 44 balls, hitting five fours and three sixes.
Anthony Mosca, the aggressor, reached his fifty off just 28 balls. Together, the duo forged a century partnership in 65 balls to bring Italy closer to victory. Anthony finished on 62 off 32 balls, hitting three fours and six sixes and hitting the winning run.
In Nepal’s case, Dipendra Singh Airee tried to keep the batting at bay but apart from him, the other bowlers were escaping runs at an alarming rate and were unable to handle Italy’s intrepid attack.
T20 World Cup | T20 World Cup Schedule | T20 World Cup Points Table | T20 World Cup Videos | Cricket News | Live Score
– The end
Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
February 12, 2026