All-round Smuts, Harry Manenti headline Italy's win against Canada
Smuts top-scored with 49 and also picked up a wicket as first-timers Italy defeated Canada in the warm-up game
ESPNcricinfo staff
02-Feb-2026 • 3 hrs ago
JJ Smuts top-scored for Italy • ICC/Getty Images
Italy 156 for 4 (Smuts 49, Harry Manenti 33, Sana 1-26) beat Canada 146 for 6 (Bajwa 37, Samra 33, Stewart 1-18) by 10 runs
In a massive result ahead of what is their first T20 World Cup, Italy defeated Canada by ten runs in their warm-up clash in Chennai.
Former South Africa allrounder, JJ Smuts was the star of the show, scoring 49 and followed it up with one wicket, while Harry Manenti also impressed with the bat during his unbeaten 24-ball 33.
Sent in, brothers Justin Mosca and Anthony Mosca gave Italy a good start, adding 45 runs for the opening wicket.
The two fell in the space of ten balls for 22 each but Smuts settled the innings. He added 41 runs for the fourth wicket with Harry Manenti, striking five fours and a six, before falling a run short of his fifty in the 17th over. The Manenti brothers - Harry and Ben - then took Italy past the 150-mark, lifting them to 156 for 4 in 20 overs.
Canada were sedate but solid in their chase, with Yuvraj Samra and captain Dilpreet Bajwa adding 55 runs for the opening wicket. Samra hit 33 off 23 balls with five fours and a six but fell to Smuts in the seventh over. The Italian bowlers never let the Canada batters settle at any stage, picking up wickets at regular intervals. Bajwa, Navneet Dhaliwal and Harsh Thaker all fell in the space of 3.1 overs as Canada slipped to 105 for 4 in 14.4 overs.
Nicholas Kirton hit three fours in his 33 but was unable to get Canada over the line with them stopping at 146 for 6 after 20. For Italy, five bowlers took one wicket each, which included Ali Hasan and Ben Manenti going at less than six runs an over.