Italy Makes History with First Ever Cricket World Cup Qualification

Italy has achieved what once seemed impossible, qualifying for their first ever cricket World Cup. In a tense Europe Regional Final at The Hague, they lost to the Netherlands by nine wickets but did just enough to secure their spot in the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. For a country where football dominates, this is a landmark moment in Italian sports history.

How Italy Pulled It Off

Batting first against a strong Dutch side, Italy posted 134/7, thanks to crucial contributions from Ben Manenti (30) and a quickfire 25 off 16 balls from Grant Stewart. Netherlands’ left-arm spinner Roelof van der Merwe (3/15) dismantled Italy’s top order, including captain Joe Burns , a former Australian Test batsman who qualifies for Italy through his mother.

But the real drama came down to net run rate, a tiebreaker in cricket that compares teams’ scoring efficiency. Italy needed to avoid a heavy defeat to stay ahead of Jersey, who had the same points. By dragging the Dutch chase to 16.2 overs, Italy ensured their superior run rate sent them through.

ICC Chairman Jay Shah hailed the achievement, "An amazing result for Italy... their first ever appearance at the tournament"

Netherlands’ Dominance Continues

The Dutch, already Europe’s top cricket nation, cruised to victory. Openers Max O’Dowd (47*) and Michael Levitt (34) scorred 66 runs in the powerplay. Captain Scott Edwards (37*) finished the job, sealing their perfect qualifying campaign.

Heartbreak for Jersey

Jersey’s historic last ball win against Scotland , captained by Charles Perchard and Jake Dunford was overshadowed by Italy’s NRR (net run rate)strategy. Jersey collapsed from 81/1 to 129/9 before their dramatic one wicket victory, which ultimately couldn’t secure qualification.

Why This Is a Big Deal

For Italy , a team built on diaspora talent like Burns and Emilio Gay (an England Lions player) , this is a breakthrough. Cricket’s global expansion has opened doors for non-traditional nations, and Italy’s rise mirrors the sport’s widening reach.

Qualified Teams and Future Spots

As of July 13, 2025, fifteen teams have secured their spots for the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup. The tournament co-hosts India and Sri Lanka qualify automatically, while seven teams (including Afghanistan and Australia) earned their places through their top performances in the 2024 T20 World Cup.

 Ireland, New Zealand and Pakistan qualified via ICC rankings, with Canada coming through the Americas qualifier. Italy and Netherlands booked their tickets through the Europe Regional Final that concluded this week. 

The field will be completed by three more teams from the Asia East Pacific Qualifier in October 2025 and two from the Africa Qualifier the same month, bringing the total to 20 participating nations for cricket's global showpiece event.