Italy Unveils Squad for Historic ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026

Italy's Squad Announcement

Italy has officially revealed its 15-player roster for their inaugural participation in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. Wayne Madsen will lead the team as captain during this prestigious tournament, according to the ICC's official site. The Azzurri will kick off their T20 World Cup journey against Bangladesh on February 9 at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, followed by a match against Nepal on February 12 in Mumbai.

Complete Italy Squad for T20 World Cup 2026

The squad includes: 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, and Thomas Draca.

Journey to the World Cup

Italy earned their spot in the T20 World Cup following an impressive performance at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier 2025, where they finished second, achieving significant wins against Scotland and Guernsey.

Leadership Changes and Key Players

Wayne Madsen has taken over the captaincy from former Australian cricketer Joe Burns. Burns, who has played 23 Test matches for Australia, was instrumental in leading the Italian team during their qualifying rounds. He participated in eight T20Is for Italy, scoring one century and one half-century with an average of 45 and a strike rate close to 140.

A notable player in Italy's T20 World Cup squad is the seasoned all-rounder JJ Smuts, who has previously represented South Africa in 13 T20 Internationals. Unfortunately, Emilio Gay will miss the tournament due to an injury.

Coaching and Management Structure

The coaching team will be headed by John Davison, with Kevin O'Brien and Douglas Brown acting as assistant coaches. Peter Di Venuto will serve as the team manager.

Group Stage Draw for the T20 World Cup

Italy finds itself in Group C, where they will face off against two-time champions England, the West Indies, as well as Bangladesh and Nepal.