Historic Win for Italy: Beats Scotland to Lead Race for 2026 T20 World Cup

Italy on the Verge of T20 World Cup History After Stunning Win Over Scotland

The Italy men’s cricket team is just one step away from making history. On Wednesday (July 9), they pulled off a thrilling 12-run win against Scotland at The Hague in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier 2025. With this victory, Italy have moved closer than ever to qualifying for their first-ever T20 World Cup, which will be held in India and Sri Lanka in early 2026.

After three matches, Italy now sit on top of the points table with five points. Their final group game is on Friday (July 11) against hosts Netherlands at Sportpark Westvliet. If they win, they will seal their place in the 2026 T20 World Cup.

Even if they lose, all hope isn’t lost. They’ll still have a chance to qualify provided they stay ahead of Scotland and Jersey on the points table. Right now, both Scotland and Jersey have 3 points each and will face off on Friday. Only one can reach 5 points, but Italy have a stronger net run rate, giving them an edge.

🚨 ITALY STUNS SCOTLAND IN THE T20 WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS. 🚨

- Italy can play the 2026 T20 WC. 🤯pic.twitter.com/t0PrGoSDj2

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) July 9, 2025

Captain Joe Burns, a former Australian Test opener who now leads Italy, called the moment “very surreal.” The 35-year-old said the team is proud but knows there’s still work to do. “We can’t celebrate too hard just yet,” Burns said, “but to beat a quality side like Scotland is a huge reward for everyone who’s worked so hard behind the scenes.”

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He added, “This could be just the beginning. The team is full of emotions right now we’re so close to the World Cup, it’s hard to believe.” The 2024 T20 World Cup saw first-time appearances from teams like USA, Canada, Uganda, Papua New Guinea, and Nepal. USA even pulled off a shock win over Pakistan. Now, Italy are hoping to be the next underdog story at the 2026 edition.