Our Bureau
Rome
Italy has shocked the whole world by qualifying for the World Cup for the first time in their cricketing history. Italy has qualified for the 2026 T20 World Cup that is to be held in India. Joe Burns, the captain of the European team has stated his plans clearly that he wants to face the defending champions India in the first game at the biggest stage at their home ground.
Italy made headlines earlier this month, as they made the cut for the event in India and Sri Lanka next year in 2026. Led by their Australian-born player, Joe Burn, Italy played beautifully in the European Qualifiers. Although the groups of the T20 World Cup have not been finalised, Burns has stated clear he is willing to face the best teams at the World Cup.
“You come to your first World Cup and you want the big stage. I’d love to be playing India in the first game in India. I’d love to be playing Australia, England or all the top teams, that’s the experience that you’re after. You want to test yourself, you want to really jump in at the deep end,” Burns said.
Burns stated that the team prepared a lot to reach this stage and it was immensely satisfying for them that they were able to qualify for the big event. The captain recalled that he told his team that for him the opponent won’t matter, it can be Luxembourg or India, they should be prepared to their fullest.
Burns said, “A lot of planning and preparation went into it (qualifying). So it’s satisfying from that aspect from the cricket side as well. We did one week training camp in Rome, one week in the UK, and I said to them the first day in Rome, ‘I don’t care if we’re playing Luxembourg in the first Sub-Regional game or India in a World Cup Final. I just want us to be the most prepared team in world cricket’.”
