Crishan Kalugamage stole the show in the middle phase and others like Ben Manenti chipped in as Italy put in a disciplined performance to skittle Nepal out for 123 all out in 19.3 overs. It was all Italy in the first innings. Nepal just could not get going. A few 20s came their way but it was way way short as Wankhede Stadium witnessed a paltry total from Nepal. Italy on top at the interval.
Nepal gets off to a steady start despite losing Kushal Bhurtel in powerplay.Â
Put into bat first, Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh came out to open for Nepal while Ben Manenti had ball in hand for Italy. Manenti bowled an excellent over. Ali Hasan had ball in hand from the other end. Bhurtel slapped the bowler over covers for a boundary. But the bowler hit back and got rid of Kushal Bhurtel for 5 off 10 balls with one four to his name. Captain Rohit Paudel came out to bat next.
JJ Smuts came into the attack. He bowled a quiet first over. Ali Hasan continued as Sheikh got his bat down to get an inside edge to beat the fine leg region for a boundary. Sheikh hit another boundary by flicking it past fine leg for a boundary. Smuts continued as Paudel took on the bowling and launched it over wide long-on for the maximum.
Grant Stewart came into the attack to bowl the last over of powerplay. Paudel swung it away over deep midwicket for the maximum. Nepal reached 46/1 in 6 overs with Paudel on 22* off 10 balls and Sheikh on 18* off 16 balls at the end of powerplay as we paused for Drinks.
Crishan Kalugamage bamboozles Nepal in middle overs as they lose wickets like nine pins.Â
Crishan Kalugamage came into the attack post the powerplay. He got rid of Paudel for 23 off 14 balls with 2 sixes to his name as the batter holed out to wide long-on. Dipendra Singh Airee came out to bat next. Ben Manenti returned to the attack and removed Sheikh for 20 off 20 balls with 2 fours to his name as he was stumped by the keeper. Aarif Sheikh came out to bat next. Kalugamage continued as Sheikh thumped the ball away through deep midwicket for a boundary.
JJ Smuts returned to the attack and bowled a quiet over with Nepal on 67/3 in 10 overs. Grant Stewart came back into the attack as Sheikh showed deft touch by guiding it to deep backward point fence. Sheikh got down on his knees and swept it to short fine leg for a boundary. Ben continued and bowled another quiet over. Jaspreet Singh came into the attack next. He too bowled a decent over.
Kalugamage returned to the attack and he removed Airee for 17 off 18 balls by cleaning him up. Drinks was taken at 93/4 in 13.5 overs for Nepal. Lokesh Bam came out to bat next and got off the mark as well. Ben Manenti came to bowl his final over. He removed Lokesh as he hit it straight to the deep midwicket fielder where Mosca took the catch. Gulshan Jha came out to bat next and got off the mark. Nepal reached 97/5 in 15 overs with Sheikh unbeaten on 26 off 22 balls while Gulshan Jha unbeaten on 1 off 1 ball.
Nepal fade away as they lose 5/26 inside 5 overs to be bowled out for 123.Â
JJ Smuts came back into the attack as the 100 came up for Nepal in 15.3 overs. Smuts got another as Sheikh was dismissed for 27 off 24 balls with 3 fours to his name as the ball went to deep backward square leg. Karan KC came out to bat next and got off the mark as well. Kalugamage came to bowl his final over. He removed Jha for 3 off 4 balls as the catch was taken at wide long-on. Nandan Yadav came out to bat next.
Then there was a run out as both players were at the same end as Nandan was run out for a silver duck. Sandeep Lamichhane came into the attack. Hasan returned as Karan broke the shackles by launching it straight down the ground for the maximum. He then cut the ball away past backward point for a boundary.
Stewart came to bowl the 19th over and bowled a decent over. Jaspreet Singh came to bowl the last over and he removed Lamichhane for 5 off 7 balls as the top edge carried to mid-off of a slower ball. Lalit Rajbanshi came out to bat next. And we had a run out to end the innings as Lalit was run out for a silver duck. Karan remained unbeaten on 18 off 11 balls with one four and one six to his name as Nepal were skittled out for 123 in 19.3 overs. Just 2 extras given by Italy.
Italy bowled really well out there. Crishan Kalugamage finished with 3/18 in 4 overs being the pick of the bowlers. Ben Manenti finished with 2/9 in 4 overs. Ali Hasan finished with 1/34 in 3 overs. JJ Smuts finished with 1/22 in 4 overs. Jaspreet Singh finished with 1/8 in 1.3 overs. Grant Stewart finished with 0/32 in 3 overs. There were two run outs in the innings. Italy now needed 124 runs to win to record their debut win in T20 World Cup history.
Who’s Winning, Italy or Nepal?Â
A superb bowling performance from Italy has put them in pole position to win their debut match in the World Cup history. Nepal have been below par and have to bowl out of their skins to win this one. Italy should win this one easily. Let’s see how the chase unfolds from here.
Also Read:Â ICC T20 WC 2026: Sri Lanka Explosive Powerplay & Late Surge Against Oman