Pizzas, pastas… and cricket? Italy on brink of World Cup history

Dubai: Cricket isn’t usually on the menu in Italy — but now, alongside pizzas and pastas, the Azzurri are serving up something special.

Italy are just one win away from making history and qualifying for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup for the very first time. A surprise 12-run victory over Scotland at the Europe Regional Final has taken them to the top of the standings and within touching distance of the 2026 edition, to be held in India and Sri Lanka.

A win over the Netherlands in their final match on Friday will seal their qualification. Even a narrow loss might be enough, depending on the result and net run rate of the earlier clash between Jersey and Scotland.

As it stands, Italy enjoy a commanding net run rate of +1.722. In comparison, Jersey are at +0.430 and Scotland have dipped into the negative at -0.150.

Captain Joe Burns, who played 23 Tests for Australia before switching allegiance to Italy, called the moment “very surreal” as he praised the effort behind the team’s rise.

“I am really proud of the boys for this moment,” Burns quoted by ICC. “To come and beat Scotland, who are a fantastic team, is a nice reward for the sacrifices our players, staff and federation have made.

Hopefully, this is the stepping stone for a lot to come. It’s a very emotional group at the moment. Being on the verge of a World Cup? It’s very surreal.”

Adding to Italy’s advantage is the schedule. Their match against the Netherlands will be the final game of the tournament, meaning they will know exactly what is required to qualify once Jersey and Scotland finish their match earlier in the day. That gives the Italians a clear target to chase — or defend.

For Scotland, the road is tougher but not over. Captain Richie Berrington admitted his side were outplayed but remained hopeful of a final push.

“We kept ourselves in it but just didn’t manage to execute at the end,” Berrington said. “A lot of the credit has to go to Italy, who out-skilled us with the ball in those conditions.

Obviously today’s a tough one, but it’s important we learn what we can from this game. We have to focus on coming back on Friday and looking to win that game — then the rest takes care of itself.”

As the final day approaches, three teams remain in contention — but it’s Italy who have the upper hand. Cricket in the land of Michelangelo and Maldini is finally having its moment, and Joe Burns & Co. are ready to seize it.