Italy captain Wayne Madsen won the toss and elected to bowl first against Scotland in their T20 World Cup clash at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Monday.
The match marks a historic moment for Italian cricket as the team makes its ICC tournament debut, capping a year filled with growing excitement and progress. The iconic Eden Gardens, often referred to as Indian cricket’s spiritual home, provides the stage for Italy’s first step onto the global stage.
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Scotland, meanwhile, is playing their second match in three days and will be keen to bounce back after opening their campaign with a defeat to the West Indies. Late entrants to the tournament following Bangladesh’s withdrawal, Scotland know they have little time to build momentum and will be desperate to register their first points.
Italy bring a blend of experience and T20 nous, led by 42-year-old skipper Wayne Madsen. The side boasts depth and diversity and earned its place at the World Cup by navigating a demanding European qualifier, a journey that included victories over teams such as Scotland. That history adds extra edge to the contest, with Scotland eyeing revenge.
Scotland captain Richie Berrington made one change from the side that lost to West Indies, bringing in Brad Wheal in place of Safyaan Sharif.
Teams:
Italy: Anthony Mosca, Justin Mosca, JJ Smuts, Wayne Madsen (captain), Harry Manenti, Ben Manenti, Grant Stewart, Gian-Piero Meade (wicketkeeper), Marcus Campopiano, Crishan Kalugamage, Ali Hasan.
Scotland: George Munsey, Michael Jones, Brandon McMullen, Richie Berrington (captain), Tom Bruce, Matthew Cross (wicketkeeper), Mark Watt, Michael Leask, Oliver Davidson, Brad Wheal, Brad Currie.
