Italy have made history by qualifying for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, their first-ever appearance at a cricket World Cup.
Their place was confirmed despite a loss to the Netherlands in their final qualifying match at The Hague.
The Dutch side also secured qualification for the 2026 tournament, to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, after chasing down Italy’s total of 134 with eight wickets in hand and 22 balls to spare.
The result ended Jersey’s hopes of advancing, even after their nail-biting one-wicket win over Scotland earlier in the day.
Both Italy and Jersey finished the tournament with five points, but Italy progressed thanks to a superior net run-rate.
Italy’s qualification was effectively confirmed once the Netherlands’ chase went past the 15th over, enough to secure Italy’s spot before the match concluded.
Italy’s Struggle With the Bat
Opting to bat first, Italy had a shaky start. Openers Justin Mosca and Emilio Gay were dismissed within the first three overs, and captain Joe Burns fell early in the seventh, leaving Italy at 41 for 3. Marcus Campopiano followed soon after, but Ben Manenti anchored the innings with a composed knock.
He received support from Grant Stewart, who scored 25 off 16 balls, and Anthony Mosca, who remained unbeaten on 13. Italy managed to post a total of 134 for 7 in their 20 overs.
The Netherlands’ bowling was spearheaded by Roelof van der Merwe, who claimed 3 for 15, including the key wicket of Burns.
Strong Chase by the Netherlands
In response, the Netherlands began strongly, with openers Max O’Dowd and Michael Levitt putting on a 71-run stand in just eight overs.
Levitt scored 34 off 25 before being dismissed by Crishan Kalugamage, Italy’s most effective bowler, who finished with 1 for 25 from four overs.
O’Dowd remained unbeaten on 55, while captain Scott Edwards contributed 33 not out. Their unbroken 64-run partnership ensured a comfortable finish for the Dutch.
Jersey Beat Scotland But Miss Out
Earlier in the day, Jersey kept their qualification hopes alive with a dramatic win over Scotland. Chasing 134, Jersey were cruising at 81 for 1 before a sudden collapse left them at 129 for 9.
Captain Charles Perchard and No. 11 batter Jake Dunford held their nerve to seal a last-ball victory.
However, the result wasn’t enough, as Jersey were eliminated due to Italy’s superior net run-rate and the outcome of the Italy-Netherlands match.
The defeat also marked the end of the road for Scotland, who had featured in the last four editions of the T20 World Cup.
A True Team Effort from Italy
Italy’s qualification was the result of a collective team effort. Ben Manenti played a pivotal role with the bat throughout the tournament, while Harry Manenti finished as the leading wicket-taker of the Europe Regional Final, claiming eight wickets at an average of 9.62.
With Italy and the Netherlands joining the lineup, 15 teams have now secured their spots in the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Three more teams will qualify via the East Asia-Pacific region, and two additional spots will be filled through the Africa regional qualifier.
The 2026 tournament will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
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