Italy captain Wayne Madsen suffers shoulder dislocation

Italy suffered a hammer blow in their opening World Cup fixture against Scotland after captain Wayne Madsen dislocated his shoulder while fielding.

The unfortunate incident occurred in the fourth over when Madsen attempted a diving stop at mid-wicket, landing awkwardly on his left side on the hard practice pitches at the Eden Gardens. He was visibly in discomfort and walked off the field clutching his left arm.

It was confirmed on air that Madsen, 42 years old, will take no further part in the match and is set to undergo assessments for concussion and a potential neck injury, raising concerns beyond the immediate shoulder issue.

The timing of the injury is particularly crushing for Italy, coming in their tournament opener, with Madsen key to both their batting stability and leadership. Further clarity on his availability for the rest of the World Cup is expected to arrive after medical evaluations.

Harry Manenti | Italy vice-captain: “Yeah, Wayne obviously had a tough fall in that powerplay there and hit the deck and we believe dislocated his shoulder. So, obviously more to come with that and hopefully he’s alright. And, Wayne’s obviously our leader. He’s played for a long time and was so deserving to show the world his abilities. So that’s probably the sad thing for him personally and for us as a team, not to be able to see that shown on the world stage.