Italy beats Nepal for its historic first T20 World Cup victory. cricket news

Tournament debutants Italy secured their first World Cup win with an unexpected upset against Nepal in Mumbai.

Italy secured an important first cricket win in the T20 World Cup when it defeated Nepal by 10 wickets in Mumbai, India, on Thursday.

After bowling out Nepal for 123 at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, brothers Anthony and Justin Mosca sealed the win with an unbeaten partnership of 124-0.

Italy’s first win in just its second match at a global cricket tournament was only the eighth 10-wicket win in men’s T20 World Cup history.

Italy joined the Netherlands as the only two non-British European teams to win a game in the T20 World Cup.

Nepal, in their third T20 World Cup, were on a high after giving England a powerful shock at the same venue on Sunday.

But Sri Lankan-born wrist spinner Krishan Kalugamage, including skipper Rohit Paudel, took 3 for 18, helping Nepal bowl out Nepal with three balls to spare.

The Sydney-raised Mosca brothers hit nine sixes and eight fours – Anthony made 62 not out off 32 balls, and Justin made 60 not out off 44 balls – and dismantled the Nepal attack in just 12.4 overs.

Sri Lanka’s dominance over Oman

Earlier, captain Dasun Shanaka broke his record for the fastest T20 half-century for Sri Lanka as they defeated Oman by 105 runs in Pallekele.

Later, co-hosts and defending champions India took on Namibia in New Delhi.

Shanaka’s 50 off 19 balls, along with Kusal Mendis’s 61 and Pawan Rathnayake’s 60 against a weak bowling attack, took Sri Lanka to a tournament-best 225-5.

Oman, in reply, scored 120–9, with five bowlers taking wickets. Off-spinner Mahesh Theekshana took 2-11 in four overs.

Sri Lanka has scored two wins from two matches, but it still has to face Group B rivals Australia and Zimbabwe.

Oman’s 43-year-old Mohammad Nadeem became the oldest man to score a half-century in T20 World Cup history by scoring an unbeaten 53 off 56 balls. Nadeem was one of only two Oman batsmen to reach double figures, with Wasim Ali scoring 27 runs.

Sri Lanka lost Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishra inside the power play, but Rathnayake and Mendis stitched a quickfire partnership of 94 runs off 52 balls for the third wicket.

Shanaka hit five sixes to break his previous Sri Lankan record of a half-century in 20 balls against India in 2023, before he was out to long-off on the very next ball.