Italy Cricket Team News & Matches

Captain: Wayne Madsen
Coaches: John Davison (head coach), Kevin O'Brien (assistant coach), Dougie Brown (assistant coach)
First international match: 1989
Cricket board: Federazione Cricket Italiana (FCI)

Cricket's roots in Italy date back to the late 18th century. Games were reportedly played by Admiral Nelson's troops in Naples. Several of the country's biggest football clubs, including AC Milan and Genoa CFC, were founded as combined cricket and football institutions. While football eventually eclipsed cricket in popularity, the sport continued to be played in Rome as late as the 1960s.

Italy officially became an Affiliate member of the ICC in 1984 and were elevated to Associate status in 1995. The game was largely sustained by expat communities and players qualifying through heritage links to the country.

Italy spent much of their early international journey competing in European regional tournaments and ICC pathway events. Their rise gathered momentum in 2023, as the FCI began to recruit players with professional and franchise experience from Australia and England - Joe Burns, Wayne Madsen, and brothers Ben and Harry Manenti, among others - with an eye on the future.

During the T20 World Cup Europe qualification pathway Italy produced several notable results, including victories over established Associate teams such as Scotland and Guernsey, and later a four-wicket win against Ireland in 2026, eventually sealing a spot at the 2026 Men's T20 World Cup.

The qualification campaign was initially led by former Australia international Burns, who played a major role in getting Italy their maiden global tournament berth. However, Burns was later replaced as captain and left out of the World Cup squad prior to the tournament, with Derbyshire's Wayne Madsen taking over leadership duties.

Italy Men's Cricket Team Current Ranking

T20Is: 27

Italy Men's Cricket Team Records

T20Is: Most runs | Most wickets | Highest totals | Lowest totals

1984: Elected to ICC as Affiliate Member

1989: First recognised international match (vs Denmark)

1995: Elevated to ICC Associate Member

2019: Granted full T20I status

2025: Qualify for first ICC Men's T20 World Cup