Italy captain Joe Burns hopes that his team’s unexpected victory over Scotland in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Europe Regional Final, which puts them on the verge of qualifying for next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, is just the start of something great for the Azurri.
Joe Burns, who has 23 Test caps for Australia, was named captain of Italy in December 2024. He showed his joy after his squad secured a coveted spot in the qualification tournament.
“I am quite proud of the boys at this moment. “To come and beat Scotland, who are a fantastic team, is a nice reward for the sacrifices made by our players, staff, and federation,” Burns told the ICC.
“Hopefully, this is the first step towards bigger things. Right now, the gang is highly emotional. Being on the verge of the World Cup? “It’s extremely surreal,” he added.
On Wednesday, July 9, Italy defended a 168-run target against Scotland at Sportpark Westvliet in The Hague, Netherlands, to maintain their lead in the points table. On Friday, they will face the Dutch in their final match at the same site. A win for Italy will help them seal a spot in the 2019 T20 World Cup. A narrow defeat might potentially see they advance to the headline event for the first time. However, for this scenario to occur, neither Jersey nor Scotland must win their respective matches by a large majority. Jersey are scheduled to meet Scotland on Friday.
After the ICC decided to expand the T20 World Cup to 20 teams, fans have witnessed some of the lesser-known nations competing on the big stage against top sides. The 2024 edition of the global event marked the first time 20 teams competed for the T20 World Cup. The USA stunned Pakistan and reached the Super-Eight stage of the competition. More such surprises could enthrall the cricket fraternity next year.
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