The International Cricket Council, in its recent release, stated that the biggest spike in following on its digital platforms last week came from Nepal, a country whose cricket team nearly pulled off one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history when they threatened to beat England in the opening game of the 2026 T20 World Cup but marginally fell short.
Rohit Paudel, Nepal‘s skipper, had mentioned after the game that they hadn’t turned up to the World Cup merely to ‘participate’. They have come here with the belief of being able to beat every team they come up against. There may or may not be more such heartbreaks in Nepal’s splendid growth story in cricket, but if they were to come out on top in one World Cup contest this year, their safest bet would be against Italy – a team which is also scripting one of the finest growth stories in global cricket in recent times.
Nepal won hearts but fell agonisingly short of stunning England in its opening fixture of the ongoing T20 World Cup. With thousands of Nepali fans thronging the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday evening, there was no dearth of support for the Rohit Paudel-led team.
Italy, on the other hand, had a tough debut in the T20 World Cup. Inside the first four overs of their clash against Scotland, their captain Wayne Madsen had to leave the field after dislocating his shoulder. Scotland posted 207/4 before dismissing Italy for 134. However, Ben Manenti and Ali Hasan impressed in the game for the Azzurri with bat and ball, respectively.Nepal (NEP) and Italy (ITA) collide in match No. 17 of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday, February 12.
When it takes on Italy at the same venue on Thursday, Nepal will be hoping to get its campaign back on track against a team which is also coming off a defeat against Scotland.While both the teams would be aware that a chance to qualify to the next round of the tournament seems a bit improbable, if they were to have an outside shot at it, the afternoon encounter in Mumbai, on Thursday, would have to be clinched. A defeat in this game would all but end any rational hopes of qualification.
NEP vs ITA : Previous Performances
Nepal won hearts but fell agonisingly short of stunning England in its opening fixture of the ongoing T20 World Cup. With thousands of Nepali fans thronging the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday evening, there was no dearth of support for the Rohit Paudel-led team.n their opener, Nepal came close to pulling off one of the biggest upsets in T20 World Cup history.
They narrowly missed out on beating England, the 2022 champions.Despite this, Nepal’s captain Rohit Paudel said after the match that they are not here “just to participate.” Despite being on the losing side, Benjamin Manenti stamped his class with a 31-ball 52 against Scotland, whereas JJ Smuts maintained a strike rate of 200-plus throughout his innings before a lower-order collapse let the Italians down.
NEP vs ITA : Head to Head Records in T20Is
This fixture will be the first occasion when Nepal and Italy will be up against each other in a T20I game.
NEP vs ITA : Pitch and Weather Report
The first game at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai in the ongoing T20 World Cup was played between India and the USA. That game was played at night and there was help for the swing bowlers upfront. However, this will be an afternoon clash and bowlers could have a tough time in the middle. Fans can expect a high-scoring affair on Thursday. The first two games at the Wankhede Stadium saw scores of 161 and 184 batting first, and both were successfully defended. Nepal and Italy face-off in the afternoon on Thursday, so dew might not play a big role. It could be a warm afternoon, with temperatures in the mid-30 degrees.
The pitch might hold up a bit, unlike the flat surfaces usually on offer at the Wankhede Stadium. The familiarity with the conditions would be favourable for Nepal.
NEP vs ITA : Big Picture : All-Associate clash as Nepal take on Italy
Nepal enter the contest against Italy, a team they have never faced before, on the back of falling short by just one big blow against England on Sunday. Nepal will look to bring that same brand of cricket in Mumbai again and will believe they hold the edge and momentum against their fellow Associates, who are playing their first big tournament.
Emerging from the shadows of the globetrotting legspinner Sandeep Lamichhane are batters Dipendra Singh Airee and Lokesh Bam, who all but took their side over the line in front of loud and energetic fans. But with the ball, Nepal conceded 33 runs in the last two overs of the first innings in that game, and that turned out to be the difference.
However, two points – and a possible big margin of victory – against Italy will open Nepal’s group up before they face West Indies; Nepal had beaten West Indies 2-1 last September.
Italy, meanwhile, had a tough initiation at the T20 World Cup with a 73-run defeat against Scotland. They also lost their captain Wayne Madsen to injury inside four overs of their T20 World Cup debut. He will not feature against Nepal either. Italy coach John Davison said after the loss that the “occasion may have got big on us”. With nothing to lose and experience to gain, Italy have another chance to have fun and potentially upset some calculations, before facing stronger oppositions England and West Indies.
NEP vs ITA : In the spotlight: Ben Manenti and Lokesh Bam
Batting at No. 5, Ben Manenti was one of the positives for Italy in their loss to Scotland. He started with only seven runs off seven balls, but went on to smash 52 in 31. The majority of his runs came against spinners (45 runs in 25 balls) with shots all around: behind square, through cover, and over the bowler’s head. Italy will hope Ben Manenti carries that confidence against Lamichhane and co.
Lokesh Bam threw everything he had at England when they needed 54 in 21 balls, but fell agonisingly short. Facing quality and experienced bowlers, he smacked back-to-back fours off Sam Curran and successive sixes off Jofra Archer as England searched for answers. Bam’s 39 not out was not enough on the day, but he gave solid proof of his big-hitting ability, something the format demands.
NEP vs ITA : Vital Stats that matters
- Ben and Harry Manenti’s partnership of 73 against Scotland was the second-highest between brothers in a T20 World Cup. The highest is the 96 which Kamran and Umar Akmal added against Australia in 2014
- Fourteen bowlers have taken at least 130 wickets in T20Is, and Sandeep Lamichhane’s economy rate of 6.03 is the best among them.
- Dipendra Singh Airee recently became the first Nepal player to complete 2,000 runs in T20I cricket.
- Anthony Mosca is set to become the first Italy batter with 500 T20I runs. He is eight runs shy of the mark.
- According to ESPNcricinfo, Lamichhane’s economy rate of 6.03 is the best among bowlers with 130 T20I wickets.
NEP vs ITA : Team News for Nepal and Italy
Italy :
Madsen has been ruled out against Nepal, and in his absence, Harry Manenti, the younger of the two brothers, will be leading Italy. Middle-order batter Marcus Campopiano could replace Madsen in the side.Wayne Madsen dislocated his shoulder while fielding in Italy’s opening game. He was expected to undergo assessments for concussion and a possible neck injury. His availability remains uncertain.
Italy Probable Playing XI:Â Justin Mosca, Anthony Mosca, Syed Naqvi, JJ Smuts, Harry Manenti, Jaspreet Singh/Marcus Campopiano, Grant Stewart, Gian Meade, Crishan Kalugamage, Thomas Draca, Ali Hasan
Nepal :
Nepal might look to play the same team that ran England close at the same ground on Sunday.They might go unchanged for this game.
Nepal Probable Playing XI: Kushal Bhartel, Aasif Sheikh, Rohit Paudel, Dipendra Singh Airee, Aarif Sheikh, Lokesh Bam, Gulsan Jha, Karan KC, Nandan Yadav, Sandeep Lamichhane, Sher Malla
NEP vs ITA : Probable Best Performers
Probable Best Batter: Dipendra Singh
Dipendra Singh looked in good touch in the game against England. He scored 44 off just 29 balls, hitting six fours and one six. The right-handed batter likes to take the attack to the bowlers and his T20I strike rate of 140.36 accentuates the same. He will look to play a pivotal role for Nepal on Thursday.
Probable Best Bowler: Sandeep Lamichhane
Sandeep Lamichhane weaved his magic in the previous game. Not only did he bagged the wicket of Tom Banton but he gave away just 25 runs in his four-over spell. The Italian batters would not have played too many spinners of his quality. Lamichhane is going to be the bowler to watch out for in the upcoming game.
NEP vs ITA : Match Prediction for Nepal vs Italy
Nepal are clear favourites due to recent momentum, squad depth, and stronger bowling options. Their near-upset against England showed maturity and fighting spirit. Nepal’s spin attack led by Sandeep Lamichhane is well-suited to Indian conditions, while their middle-order strength through Dipendra Singh Airee gives them flexibility. Italy are still adjusting to the high-pressure World Cup stage and struggled in their opening match. Unless Italy produce a disciplined batting display and early wickets, Nepal are expected to control the match across phases.
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