There’s growing belief cricket too can thrive in Italy Premium

There’s growing belief cricket too can thrive in Italy

When Italy walked into this T20 World Cup, it did not arrive with the certainty of a system or the confidence of history. It arrived carrying something more fragile and more powerful – belief stitched together from astroturf pitches, time borrowed from work, long-distance flights, family histories, and quiet sacrifice.

For most of the squad, this World Cup is not the next step in a linear career. It is an interruption to ordinary life. They have come here from jobs. From club cricket played on astroturf surfaces. From countries that raised them in cricket cultures far removed from the one whose colours they now wear.

“The guys have trained well. We’ve had a couple of good wins against Ireland (in a T20I series) and Namibia (T20 WC practice match), and we’re starting to build a lot of confidence in the group,” said skipper Wayne Madsen ahead of the tournament. Confidence, for Italy, is not bravado. It is something accumulated slowly, almost cautiously. “We’re finding our ways and methods to win games,” Madsen added.

The word journey is not an affectation here. It is literal. Italy’s preparation was deliberate, detailed, and unusually introspective for a team still building its identity.

“We’ve got our coaching staff who’ve been fantastic. The work they’ve put in has been meticulous – in terms of the teams we’re going to be playing against, and our own skills and preparation. All of them (John Davison, Kevin O’Brien, and Dougie Brown) have got a lot of experience being underdog players in World Cups and performing. So, it’s great to sort of lean on their knowledge,” said the 42-year-old.

What stood out, though, was a decision that signalled self-awareness. “In preparation for coming here, we made use of a sports psychologist as well,” said the captain. “The pressures of playing in big stadiums, in front of a lot of fans, is going to be new to a lot of our players.”