The first ever T20 World Cup match in Italy was always going to be special. New colors on the big stage, a fresh anthem in the air and that first roar of “we finally made it”. The Eden Gardens in Kolkata was also the perfect setting, the kind of place where even the toss feels like a moment.
For Italy, history came when Wayne Madsen went to the toss and even won for his side.
But what followed was a quick reminder that the World Cup can be a brutal place to learn.
Italy’s debut ended in a 73-run defeat of 134 in 16.4 overs while chasing down Scotland’s 207. The evening also dealt another blow with Madsen suffering a dislocated shoulder that could potentially rule him out for the rest of the tournament. Italy had their firsts but Scotland made sure the scoreboard spoke louder.
Italy entered with confidence. Madsen spoke at the toss about wanting a memorable campaign and backing their bowling strength. It was not a party that was happy to show up. The problem was that Scotland didn’t come to play. They came to take control and they did it with calm sharpness.
Despite the defeat, Italy will be proud to see four bowlers pick up their first World Cup wickets. Ben Manenti hits a half-century.
It’s the little milestones that matter. But the bigger picture was simple: Scotland were cleaner, stronger and more ruthless at key moments.
How Scotland crossed the 200-run mark
There was an entertaining World Cup twist in Scotland’s dominance.
In a tournament where most expected India, Pakistan, England or the West Indies to be the first to cross the 200-run mark, it was Scotland who got there before anyone else.
George Munsey looked in terrifying touch, racing to 85 and playing like a man who decided Eden Gardens was his personal playground. Italy had a momentous moment when Grant Stewart took him out, a goal that will go down as one of Italy’s first major scalps at the World Cup. But Scotland didn’t let up after that as Michael Leask made sure the finish was loud. The final was played for 22 runs and suddenly Italy was not chasing the “big team”, but chasing the mountain.
How the Italian chase 208 turned out
Italy’s response began with a moment that will make you sigh: Justin Mosca walked the first ball, a blunt welcome to the Cricket World Cup.
But almost immediately, Italy reminded everyone that even debutants can bite. Will Smuts hit Italy’s first-ever World Cup six and then came the over that briefly lit up the evening. Smuts hit the first three balls of 6,4,6 and Mosca finished it off with a towering six of his own, giving the crowd and a few Italian fans a moment to cheer.
Smuts was dismissed in the next over and Scotland’s control grew from there. The fielding was sharp, the catching clean and the bowlers gave nothing away. Italy were still trying to find a way back, but Scotland were already dictating the rhythm of the chase.
The Manenti brothers give Italy the ultimate reel
If Italian fans needed one stage to hold onto from this debut, it was the Manenti brothers. Harry and Ben put together a dazzling partnership of 73 runs for the fourth wicket and for a while they made the chase interesting again. Harry played the aggressor, taking on the bowlers and finding the boundaries, while Ben was a constant presence, rotating the strike and picking the gaps to make sure Italy didn’t completely lose shape.
It was one of those stands where you think Italy might be new here, but they’re not out of place. They pushed Italy past 100 for 12th and Scotland suddenly had to work again. But the breakthrough came in the 13th over, Harry was dismissed and although Ben continued after his half-century, it was clear that Manenti’s momentum had run out.
How Michael Leask ruined Italy’s debut
If there was one name that kept popping up at the wrong time in Italy, it was Michael Leask. He had already helped Scotland get past the 200 mark with that brutal finish before coming back with the ball to break through the Italian chase to finish with a brilliant 4/17.
Ben Manenti still managed his own piece of history, becoming Italy’s first ever World Cup half-century with a 29-ball fifty, but even that moment was short-lived as he was dismissed two balls later. Without Wayne Madsen able to handle the crease due to his shoulder injury, Italy simply ran out of answers and were bowled out for 134 in the innings.
Italy’s debut wasn’t perfect, far from it, but it wasn’t empty either. There were firsts, there were flashes, and there was the Manenti brothers stand that showed Italy could compete in patches. However, Scotland were simply too polished for the Gli Azzuri.
T20 World Cup | T20 World Cup Schedule | T20 World Cup Points Table | T20 World Cup Videos | Cricket News | Live Score
– The end
Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
February 9, 2026