Italy Make Cricketing History with First-Ever T20 World Cup Qualification

Italy has made history by qualifying for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup for the very first time. A country more famous for its football, pasta, and pizza, Italy is now preparing to make waves in the cricketing world after sealing their spot in next year’s tournament in India and Sri Lanka.

It all came down to a dramatic final day at the ICC Men’s T20 Europe Qualifiers, with all four teams still in contention. Even though the Netherlands won their final game, Italy’s superior net run rate meant both sides secured qualification. After posting 134/7, they needed to drag the Netherlands’ chase past the 15th over. Early on, it looked dicey with Dutch openers Michael Levitt and Max O’Dowd going hard in the Powerplay. But Italy stuck to the task, held things together, and eventually stretched the game into the 17th over. That was just enough to punch their ticket to the big dance. 

This remarkable qualification was made possible thanks to some standout performances throughout the tournament. Italy opened their campaign with a win over Guernsey, and although their game against Jersey was washed out, they remained unbeaten until their last match against the Netherlands. Perhaps the biggest moment of the qualifiers came when Italy pulled off a shocking upset over Scotland—one of Europe’s traditional cricket powerhouses. That win turned the tide in their favor and showed the cricketing world they were not just here to make up the numbers. 

Much of Italy’s recent cricketing success can be attributed to an influx of experienced talent. Former Australian Test opener Joe Burns, who qualifies through his Italian mother, has been central to the team’s charge. Burns, who has four Test centuries to his name, brings leadership and top-order stability. Alongside him is Grant Stewart, a seasoned county cricketer with over 50 games under his belt for Kent. Then there’s Emilio Gay, who just last month was scoring runs for the England Lions against India A in a red-ball game. Now turning out for Italy, Gay played a crucial role in the win over Scotland that helped flip the group standings. 

With this qualification, Italy joins 14 other nations who’ve already secured their places for the 2026 T20 World Cup. Three more teams will come through the Asia EAP Qualifier, with two more spots to be filled via the Africa route. For a country that’s never been known for cricket, this moment is nothing short of extraordinary. Italy is heading to the T20 World Cup—and they’re not just there to fill up the numbers.