Mosca brothers give Italy a historic win against Nepal in T20 World Cup
Spinners Kalugamage (3-18) and Manenti (2-9) skittle Nepal out for a modest 123
Dubai: Nepal entered the match on the back of a stirring performance against England, narrowly losing by just four runs. Italy, meanwhile, had suffered a crushing 73-run defeat to Scotland.
So when tournament debutants Italy stunned Nepal with a historic 10-wicket victory at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on Thursday, it sent shockwaves through the cricketing world.
At the heart of the triumph were brothers Justin and Anthony Mosca, whose sparkling half-centuries powered Italy to their first-ever World Cup win. After spinners Crishan Kalugamage (3-18) and Ben Manenti (2-9) skittled Nepal out for a modest 123, Justin smashed 60 off 44 balls and Anthony blazed 62 from just 32 deliveries, guiding Italy to the target in only 12.4 overs.
The emphatic nature of the win caught many by surprise. Italy, better known globally for football and the lowest-ranked team in the 20-nation tournament, delivered a performance few had predicted.
Who are Mosca brothers
The Mosca brothers’ journey to this stage began far from Italy. Their family has lived in Sydney for three generations, ever since their grandfather migrated to Australia during World War II. It was there that Anthony, 34, and Justin, 31, first picked up a cricket bat.
Justin is now a physical education teacher, while Anthony works as a carpenter and teaches woodwork at a juvenile detention centre.
Reflecting on his family’s history, Justin told The Indian Express: “When they came to Australia, it was all about working. They told their kids — our parents’ generation — just work. Dad loved sport, loved cricket, but never really played seriously. Our parents adapted to Australian culture. If they hadn’t worked hard, we wouldn’t be in this position.”
Embracing Australian life meant cricket became a summer staple. Family Christmas gatherings often revolved around backyard matches. What began as a pastime grew more serious when the brothers joined Sydney Cricket Club, where they played alongside Harry and Ben Manenti. It was Ben who eventually helped open the door for them to represent Italy.
Even so, professional cricket in Australia always seemed unlikely. “I never really had aspirations to play professional cricket in Australia,” Justin said. “I was studying for a teaching degree at university, so it was hard to pursue cricket seriously. I love the competitive side and the team aspect — that’s why I love playing with these boys.”
His students, he joked, barely understand cricket but are thrilled to see him on television. “They think I’m famous. I have to tell them if I was, I wouldn’t still be working.”
Anthony, meanwhile, finds deep satisfaction in mentoring young inmates. “A lot of them come from broken homes and have made poor decisions,” he said. “My aim is to help guide them onto the right path so they’re ready to face the real world when they’re released. They’ve all got good hearts — that’s the best part.”
Captain delighted
Italy’s stand-in captain Harry Manenti, filling in for the injured Wayne Madsen, called the win “extraordinary.”
“It’s something a lot of people in Italy and in this group have dreamed of,” he said. “We didn’t quite nail it the other day, but we bounced back and showed the world what we’ve got.”
Player of the match Kalugamage echoed the sentiment: “I always wanted to help the team win and do my best for my nation, Italy. These are my brothers — I’m really happy.”
The victory lifted Italy to third place in the group, pushing England down to fourth, with the West Indies remaining at the top.
