Italy will make its inaugural appearance at ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 but Wayne Madsen the team’s captain declared their team aims for success rather than filling their roster
The Azzurri captain took leadership after Joe Burns left the team before the tournament. The team aims to play without fear while establishing a permanent impact on Italian cricket. Madsen believes cricket reached its turning point despite Italy being better known for its footballing traditions and current Winter Olympics hosting.
Madsen explained our team intends to win matches. The group established this objective through their straightforward communication. We aim to play aggressive cricket while we handle pressure situations.
Madsen prepares to guide Italy into new territory because he will participate in his second World Cup through a different athletic competition. He played for South Africa in the Hockey World Cup two decades ago. The team’s confidence has increased since they secured victories against Ireland Canada and the UAE during the last few weeks.
He said we recognize our position as underdogs yet we established our desired future impact. The group consists of members from various backgrounds yet we have formed strong connections. The present moment brings excitement.
Madsen studied his grandmother’s background to satisfy his eligibility requirements for Italy while he first considered playing for the nation in 2007. He missed the 2012 World Cup qualifier because of his county cricket for Derbyshire but returned to the team and played a major role in helping Italy qualify for the 2026 tournament after they failed to qualify for 2023.
Madsen expressed that playing for his heritage and family brings him deep personal meaning. The Italian family I have living in Italy will watch the event which makes the occasion feel particularly meaningful.
Madsen states that the World Cup will create substantial changes for Italian cricket beyond the competition results. The country requires grass wickets but more funding and visibility will enable the development of infrastructure which will motivate young people to take up the sport.
He described the situation as an extensive burden that our team must bear. The game will expand in Italy if our team performs better. The public will watch our matches on TV for the first time which includes the semi-finals and final. The audience reach from this exposure creates significant impact.
The Italian squad includes four siblings among their 15 team members. Their team includes Justin and Anthony Mosca who were born in Australia and play as opening batters. The Manenti brothers Harry and Ben serve as all-rounders. Madsen predicted that leg-spinner Crishan Kalugamage would emerge as a top talent.
Italy has to compete against West Indies Scotland Nepal and England in Group C which creates a difficult challenge for the team. Madsen has a deep connection to the England match because he played cricket throughout most of his professional career in the United Kingdom.
Madsen stated that T20 cricket creates an equal playing field for teams. The game may develop unexpected results when two players from a small team perform well against a large team that performs poorly. The England game is the one I’m most excited about.
Madsen reflects on his extraordinary path to success at this point. I did not imagine this path would lead to my current location. The transition from hockey to cricket brought Madsen to cricket at the point he began his athletic career. I never expected to reach this level of success in my life. To represent Italy at a World Cup — not in a million years did I think this would happen.
