Italy Vs Scotland Highlights, T20 World Cup 2026: SCO Spoil ITA’s Debut With 73-Run Win

Good morning, cricket fans! This is the start of our live blog covering Scotland’s T20 Cricket World Cup match against Italy. Stay tuned for pre-match and toss updates as they take place.

• Fixture: Scotland Vs Italy, Group C Match 7

• Series: ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026

• Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata

• Date: Monday, February 9, 2026

• Time: 11:00 AM IST

Tournament debutants Italy will arrive at their maiden ICC World Cup buzzing with belief after navigating a long and demanding qualification pathway. Now on the big stage, they’ll be eager to make a statement. The squad blends seasoned campaigners with emerging talent, highlighted by experienced names like JJ Smuts and Wayne Madsen, players who have been through almost every situation the game can throw at them. The big question: can that leadership and know-how lift the Azzurri and spark a memorable start to their campaign?

Italy arrive with one of the most fascinating blends in the tournament. Forty-two-year-old Wayne Madsen leads the side, bringing calm authority and decades of experience, while former South Africa international JJ Smuts adds serious pedigree. Then come the Manenti brothers, Harry and Ben, products of the Australian pathway, tough, adaptable cricketers who understand big moments. At the top, another family act is expected, with Justin and Anthony Mosca likely to open together. Don’t be surprised if this familiar chemistry becomes Italy’s backbone, because these are the names that should form the heartbeat of their batting through the campaign.

Italy won the toss and opted to bowl first

Scotland: George Munsey, Michael Jones, Brandon McMullen, Richie Berrington(c), Tom Bruce, Matthew Cross(w), Mark Watt, Michael Leask, Oliver Davidson, Brad Wheal, Brad Currie

Italy: Justin Mosca, Anthony Mosca, JJ Smuts, Wayne Madsen(c), Harry Manenti, Ben Manenti, Gian Meade(w), Grant Stewart, Crishan Kalugamage, Ali Hasan, Thomas Draca

T20 World Cup 2026 matches will be available for live TV telecast across Star Sports Network channels in India. Fans can also watch the live stream on the JioHotstar app and website.

Here we go then. George Munsey and Michael Jones stride out to the middle, plenty riding on this start. Munsey will take first strike, bat twirling, eyes fixed down the pitch. Ali Hasan has the new ball in hand and begins his run-up, looking to make an early breakthrough.

Seven from the over and Scotland move to 17 without loss. Munsey is already finding his rhythm, busy at the crease, working the gaps and keeping the board ticking before finishing things off with a boundary to put the bowler under pressure. Jones has rotated strike at the other end, happy to let his partner take charge early. A solid, risk-managed start for Scotland, and exactly the kind of foundation they would’ve wanted in the powerplay.

That’s a statement over from Scotland, 15 runs fly off it and they surge to 34 without loss. Munsey is in full flow now, freeing the arms and peppering the boundary with a trio of crisp fours that put immediate pressure on the field. A wide only adds to the bowler’s frustration before Munsey caps it with a couple more to keep the strike rotating.

Another productive passage for Scotland, 10 runs from it and they’re cruising at 49 without loss. Munsey continues to dictate terms, picking his moments beautifully, cracking back-to-back fours that pierce the infield and keep the bowlers under constant heat. He’s moving smoothly into the forties now, confidence oozing with every stride down the pitch.

Big over again for Scotland, 11 runs and they move to 74/0. Munsey raises a superb fifty and keeps the pressure on with a six and a four before Manenti tightens up, even pulling off a couple of sharp stops in his follow-through. A wide adds to Italy’s frustration, and despite the dot balls, the damage is done. Munsey is flying at 57 off 35, while Jones supports on 14.

Another expensive over and Scotland are flying at 91 without loss. Munsey keeps the tempo high, piercing the field with a boundary and then watching Jones join the act with a sweetly struck six that sends Italy further on the defensive. A wide only adds to the misery before the pair calmly rotate strike to close it out. Munsey moves to 63 from 40, still the anchor, while Jones has accelerated nicely to 24 off 20. The opening stand is now becoming a serious platform.

Breakthrough for Italy! Stewart’s slower ball does the trick as Munsey mistimes the heave and Harry Manenti completes the catch at long-on. A fine knock ends on 84, and Scotland are 127/1. McMullen gets off strike straight away, Jones stays put, and with drinks taken, the Scots still have a platform to explode late.

Italy pull things back a touch here, 9 from the over but a huge wicket as Scotland slip to 136/2. JJ Smuts tempts Jones with the full ball, he goes hard through the covers, and Harry Manenti grabs a sharp low catch at short extra. Jones departs for 37, meaning both openers are now back in the hut in quick succession.

Another strong over for Scotland, 13 more and they’re up to 166/2. Berrington is beginning to find his touch, threading a couple of crisp boundaries to keep the acceleration going, while McMullen continues to motor along with smart running between the wickets. Italy just can’t stem the flow at the moment, and the Scots are lining up a big finish here.

Tidy, high-class over from Ali Hasan, just 4 runs and a wicket, and Scotland move to 185/3. He goes back to the slower ball wide of off, Berrington chases it and only feathers an edge through to Gian Meade behind the stumps. A handy cameo ends on 15, and Italy finally win a small battle at the death. Tom Bruce arrives and nudges his first ball down to long-off, while McMullen remains dangerous on 41 from 18 with one over left.

Wild finish! 22 off the last over and Scotland hammer their way to 207/4, their highest T20 World Cup total. Draca removed Bruce first ball, but Leask exploded, boundary, then a brutal sequence capped by back-to-back sixes. The final hit was checked for height, ruled legal, and it seals a massive statement total for the Scots.

Innings Break.

Here come Italy. Justin Mosca and Anthony Mosca make their way out to the middle, a big chase ahead and they’ll need something special. Justin will take strike first, tapping the pitch and settling himself. Michael Leask has the ball in hand and begins the defence of that imposing total.

Dream start for Scotland! Leask strikes first ball as Justin Mosca cuts straight to Munsey at backward point. Smuts then battles through a handful of dots before getting Italy moving with a streaky sweep that flies away for four. After one, Italy are 4/1 in a big chase.

Italy move to 39/2, picking up 7 runs in the over but losing another wicket along the way. Currie keeps it tight, extracting just enough movement to force caution from the new man Manenti. Mosca provides the release with a clever late dab for four, using the pace beautifully, yet Scotland will feel in control after striking at the start of the over. The chase still a steep climb.

Pressure mounting on Italy, just 2 runs and a wicket, they slide to 41/3. Watt floats it wider, Mosca tries to cut hard and once again Munsey is the man, diving at backward point to pouch another sharp chance. Ben Manenti is the new batter and can only nudge a single late in the over. Scotland tightening the screws in this big chase.

Quiet over in the context of the chase, just 5 runs and Italy crawl to 59/3. The Manenti brothers are nudging it around, picking up singles but unable to find the boundary that could release some pressure. Scotland will be delighted with this squeeze; the required rate keeps climbing while wickets are already in hand.

Better intent from Italy, 12 off the over and they reach 87/3. The Manenti brothers are beginning to counter, rotating strike nicely before one of them breaks the shackles with a cleanly struck six. A wide helps the cause too. Still a steep equation, but this partnership is finally giving Italy something to work with.

Big twist at the break! Italy pick up 14 runs but lose the key man as Ben Manenti departs for a fighting 52, trying to go aerial and finding Jones at long-off. It’s a timely strike for Scotland just when the chase threatened to build real momentum. Grant Stewart is in now, and at 129/5, Italy still need plenty after drinks.

Leask rips through them! Just 2 runs and two more wickets, Italy tumble to 131/7. Stewart holes out to Munsey, and a few balls later Meade chips another simple catch to long-on, that’s four in the night for Leask. The chase is unravelling quickly now, with new batters forced to survive rather than score. Scotland firmly in command.

Another one goes. Just 2 runs and a wicket in the over, Italy slump further to 133/8. Watt keeps it tight, builds the pressure with dots, and the mistake finally comes. Scotland are now only a couple of strikes away, and this chase is hanging by a thread.

That’s it, game over! Wheal goes full outside off, Ali Hasan looks to go big but only manages to slice it high toward cover, and Berrington tracks back to take a superb catch over his shoulder. With Madsen unable to bat, Italy are done, and Scotland seal a commanding 73-run victory. A dominant performance from the Scots, who outclassed their opponents with both bat and ball.

Scotland delivered a complete performance, racking up their highest T20 World Cup total after being put in to bat. George Munsey’s 54-ball 84 laid the platform, Brandon McMullen dazzled with an unbeaten 41 off 18, and Michael Leask’s brutal 22 from 5* lifted them beyond 200. Italy’s reply began in disaster with Justin Mosca out first ball, and while JJ Smuts threatened and the Manenti brothers stitched a fighting 73-run stand, Ben even reaching a rapid fifty, Leask returned to break the partnership and trigger a collapse. The debutants faded quickly from there as Scotland sealed a commanding 73-run win

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