Italy Announce Squad for Maiden T20 World Cup 2026 Campaign

Italy Announce Squad for Maiden T20 World Cup 2026 Campaign

Italy has officially revealed its 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup 2026, set to take place in India and Sri Lanka. This marks a historic moment as it’s Italy's first-ever participation in this prestigious global cricket tournament

Wayne Madsen has been appointed as the captain of the Italian team for this exciting event. Joining him are some notable players, including former South African international JJ Smuts, along with brothers Harry and Benjamin Manenti, and Anthony and Justin Mosca.

Previously, the team was led by former Australian international Joe Burns during the qualifying campaign. However, he was removed from the captaincy and dropped from the squad at the end of last year. Italy secured their spot in the tournament by finishing second behind the Netherlands in the European regional qualifiers last July.

The coaching team is headed by John Davison with Kevin O'Brien and Douglas Brown lending their expertise as assistants. Peter Di Venuto takes on the role of manager.

In the 2026 T20 World Cup, Italy finds itself in Group C alongside Bangladesh, England, Nepal, and the West Indies. Their journey kicks off with a match against Bangladesh in Kolkata on February 9, followed by a game against Nepal in Mumbai on February 12. They’ll then return to Kolkata to face England on February 16 and the West Indies on February 19.

The tournament itself runs from February 7 to March 8, featuring 20 teams split into four groups of five in the initial round. The top two teams from each group will advance to the Super Eight stage, where they’ll be divided into two groups of four, with the best two from each group moving on to the semi-finals.

Italy's Squad:

Wayne Madsen (c), Marcus Campopiano, Gian Piero Meade, Zain Ali, Ali Hasan, Crishan Jorge, Harry Manenti, Anthony Mosca, Justin Mosca, Syed Naqvi, Benjamin Manenti, Jaspreet Singh, JJ Smuts, Grant Stewart, Thomas Draca.