Mumbai, 12 February (Sports Desk)
In a historic and one-sided encounter during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, Italy registered their maiden T20 World Cup victory by defeating Nepal comprehensively by 10 wickets in the 17th Match of Group C. The match was played on February 12, 2026, at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, India. This dominant performance marked Italy’s first-ever win in the T20 World Cup, while Nepal suffered their second consecutive defeat in the tournament.
Match Summary
- Toss: Italy (stand-in captain Harry Manenti) won the toss and elected to field first.
- Nepal Innings: 123 all out (19.3 overs) Nepal struggled throughout, collapsing dramatically after a modest start. Their batting never gained momentum on a pitch that assisted spin.
- Italy Innings: 124/0 (12.4 overs) Italy chased the modest target with ease and aggression, finishing the game with 44 balls to spare.
- Result: Italy won by 10 wickets (with 7.2 overs remaining) – a historic first World Cup win for the Azzurri.
watch…..Fastest Fifty + Explosive 60 = Sri Lanka’s Perfect Night
Nepal Batting Highlights
Nepal’s top order showed some fight, but the middle order crumbled under pressure:
- Aasif Sheikh: 27 (off around 21-24 balls) – top-scored.
- Rohit Paudel (c): 23 (14 balls) – aggressive but fell to a googly.
- Dipendra Singh Airee: Dismissed cheaply.
- Others: Aarif Sheikh, Lokesh Bam, Gulsan Jha all failed to reach double figures; Karan KC provided a late 18*.
Italy’s spinners dominated:
- Crishan Kalugamage: 4-0-18-3 – picked up key wickets including captain Rohit Paudel (holed out to long-on), Dipendra Singh Airee (bowled by a beauty from the back of the hand), and Gulsan Jha (caught at long-on).
- Ben Manenti: 4-0-9-2 – exceptional control, strangling the innings.
- Others: Ali Hasan (1 wicket), JJ Smuts (1), Jaspreet Singh (1).
Nepal lost 5 wickets for just 9 runs in the middle phase, folding for one of the lowest T20I totals at Wankhede.
Italy Batting Highlights
Italy’s openers made light work of the chase:
- Anthony Mosca: 62 (32 balls) – explosive and aggressive.
- Justin Mosca: 60 (44 balls) – steady and dominant. The Mosca brothers decimated Nepal’s bowling, sealing a flawless 10-wicket win with no wickets lost.
Player of the Match
Crishan Kalugamage was named Player of the Match for his match-turning spell of 3/18 in 4 overs. The Sri Lanka-born leg-spinner, who works as a pizza maker in Tuscany when not playing cricket, ripped through Nepal’s middle order with clever variations, including googlies and flight. His wickets shifted momentum decisively and earned him praise for his precision on the big stage.
This victory showcased Italy’s bowling discipline and batting firepower, boosting their campaign in Group C. Nepal, despite their fighting spirit, face an uphill battle ahead.
