Experienced cricketer Wayne Madsen will captain Italy in their first Men’s T20 World Cup appearance, scheduled in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8. The Italian Cricket Federation has confirmed Madsen as the captain, taking over from ex-Australian player Joe Burns, who was left out of the squad due to availability issues.
Former South African player Jon-Jon Smuts has also been included in Italy’s squad after participating in a training camp in Dubai last year. Grant Stewart, a fast bowling all-rounder from Kent, will join Italy with 17 T20I appearances, thanks to his Italian mother’s EU passport.
Italy’s T20 World Cup journey will kick off with a Group C match against Bangladesh on February 9 at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, followed by games against Nepal and England. The team secured their spot in the tournament after finishing as runners-up in the 2025 Europe Regional Final. Coaching the team will be John Davison, with Kevin O’Brien and Douglas Brown as assistant coaches.
