Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Brief scores: Italy (124/0 in 12.4 ovs) beat Nepal (123 all-out) by 10 wickets in Mumbai’s Group C match.
Italy’s historic breakthrough at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup has sparked hope of a wider sporting impact back home, with head coach John Davison believing the landmark victory could finally push cricket into the national spotlight — even if only briefly — in a country dominated by other sports.
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The tournament debutants crushed Nepal by 10 wickets in Mumbai to register their first-ever win at a T20 World Cup, a result Davison says could resonate far beyond the boundary ropes. “This will be front page news in a lot of countries and a lot of publications in Italy I would imagine I’m hoping,” he said after the match. “For us to get that sort of exposure and maybe knock the Winter Olympics off to the back page of the sport would be unbelievable for cricket in the country and just bring some attention to it.”
His comment was telling. Even as Italy’s cricketers celebrated a watershed moment, the nation’s sporting headlines remain dominated by the Winter Olympics, where Italy currently sit second in the medal tally with five gold, two silver and seven bronze medals. Breaking into that news cycle would represent a major step forward for a sport still fighting for recognition domestically.
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BELIEF GROWING INSIDE THE CAMP
Davison believes his players showed the temperament of a side ready to grow on the global stage. “It was mentioned that there would be a lot of noise there, but how good for the boys to play in front of that many people and in front of that noise?” he said. “We’ve got a lot of experienced players in our team who have played in front of crowds before, so having that experience definitely helped the guys who probably haven’t experienced it.”
He added that recent results have strengthened belief within the squad. “We’ve won five of our last six games, including practice matches and whatnot, so we spoke about having belief and playing winning cricket I’m really proud of the way the boys went about it.”
CLINICAL DISPLAY SEALS LANDMARK NIGHT
Italy’s performance backed up that confidence. Their spinners dismantled Nepal for 123, with Ben Manenti claiming 2/9 and Crishan Kalugamage 3/18 in a disciplined bowling display. Stand-in captain Harry Manenti, filling in for injured skipper Wayne Madsen, capped the innings with a sharp direct-hit run-out.
The chase was emphatic. Brothers Anthony and Justin Mosca produced an unbeaten opening partnership to seal victory with 7.2 overs to spare. Anthony blasted 62 not out from 32 balls, while Justin struck 60 not out off 44 deliveries, as Italy completed a clinical triumph.
For an emerging cricket nation, the result represented more than a convincing win. It was validation of years of effort, a statement of intent and potentially a catalyst for growth. If Davison’s wish comes true and the victory captures public imagination, Italy’s night in Mumbai may be remembered as the moment cricket finally earned its share of attention back home.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
