Debutants Shine: First-Time Team in T20 World Cup History

New Delhi:

The stage is set for game 7 of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026. Italy will be taking on Scotland in the clash at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on February 9. It is interesting to note that 20 teams are participating in the T20 World Cup 2026, and Italy is the side that has not played the T20 World Cup before. 

The 2026 edition is the side’s first-ever campaign in the T20 World Cup. The group of players has beaten all odds to reach the biggest T20 tournament in world cricket, and they will be looking to make the best of their performances. 

It is interesting to note that Italy will be taking on Scotland to kick off their World Cup campaign. It is worth noting that Italy had beaten Scotland in the T20 World Cup Europe region final. Furthermore, they had beaten the UAE in the warm-up game before the World Cup. 

Players to watch out for in Italy’s squad

Notably, some names could cause trouble for the opposition. Wayne Madsen, who turned 42 recently, will be leading Italy into the T20 World Cup. He will be charged with holding the team together and leading from the front. Furthermore, JJ Smuts could be another name who could make an impact. 

Smuts has played a total of 16 T20Is so far in his career. In the 16 matches, Smuts scored 211 runs, maintaining an average of 13.18. If he manages to pick his form up, Smuts could prove to be a key player for Italy. 

Italy’s squad:

Wayne Madsen (c), Marcus Campopiano, Gian Piero Meade, Zain Ali, Ali Hasan, Crishan Jorge, Harry Manenti, Anthony Mosca, Justin Mosca, Syed Naqvi, Benjamin Manenti, Jaspreet Singh, JJ Smuts, Grant Stewart, Thomas Draca.

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