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Scotland Crush Italy by 73 Runs in T20 World Cup 2026 Debut Clash

Scotland secured a commanding 73-run victory over World Cup debutants Italy at Eden Gardens. Powered by George Munsey's explosive 84 and a late assault from Brandon McMullen and Michael Leask, Scotland posted a formidable 207/4. Italy's chase was derailed early, despite a fighting 73-run partnership and a historic half-century from Ben Manenti, as Michael Leask's brilliant 4/17 bundled them out for 134. The match was further marred for Italy by an injury to captain Wayne Madsen, who was unable to bat.

Key Points: Scotland vs Italy: 73-Run Victory in T20 World Cup 2026

  • Scotland posts 207/4
  • Italy all out for 134
  • Michael Leask takes 4/17
  • George Munsey scores 84
  • Ben Manenti scores Italy's first T20 WC fifty
2 min read

Scotland thwart Italy by 73 runs at Eden Gardens in T20 World Cup 2026

Scotland dominates Italy by 73 runs at Eden Gardens. George Munsey scores 84, Michael Leask takes 4/17. Ben Manenti scores Italy's first T20 WC fifty.

"Michael Leask claimed bowling figures of 4/17 in 4 overs to help Scotland bundle Italy out - Match Report"

Kolkata, February 9

Scotland defeated Italy by 73 runs in the seventh match of the ongoing ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, at Kolkata's Eden Gardens on Monday. While George Munsey emerged as the top scorer of the match, it was Scotland bowler Michael Leask who proved to be the biggest differentiator between the two sides.

Playing their first ever T20 World Cup, Italy held tight through Harry Manenti (37 runs off 25 balls) and Ben Manenti (52 runs off 31 balls) but Scotland's experience proved a lot to manage for the Azzurris as Scotland Michael Leask claimed bowling figures of 4/17 in 4 overs to help Scotland bundle Italy out for just 134 runs, after scoring 207 batting first.

Italy won the toss and elected to bowl, Scotland's openers took full advantage of the Eden Gardens track. George Munsey and Michael Jones put on a masterclass, sharing a 126-run opening stand. Munsey was particularly lethal, striking 13 fours and 2 sixes in his 84 off 54 balls.

While Italy managed a brief comeback in the middle overs through the disciplined bowling of Ali Hasan (1/21), the death overs belonged to Scotland. Brandon McMullen (41* off 18) and Michael Leask (22* off 5) unleashed a late-inning assault, propelling Scotland past the 200-run mark for the first time in the tournament's history.

Italy's chase started in the worst possible fashion, with Justin Mosca falling to the first ball of the innings. The World Cup debutants suffered a massive psychological and tactical blow when captain Wayne Madsen was forced to leave the field with a shoulder injury sustained while diving in the first innings; he was eventually unable to bat.

Despite the chaos, the Manenti brothers provided a spark of hope. Ben Manenti etched his name into Italian cricket history by scoring the nation's first-ever T20 World Cup half-century (52 off 31). He and Harry Manenti (37 off 25) put together a 73-run partnership that briefly kept the required rate within reach.

However, once Michael Leask (4/17) returned to the attack, the Italian resistance crumbled. Italy lost their final seven wickets for just 21 runs, ending their debut innings at 134.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
Heart goes out to Italy. For their first ever World Cup match, they showed some real fight, especially the Manenti brothers. Losing their captain Madsen to injury was a huge blow. They'll learn from this experience. Ben Manenti's fifty was a historic moment for Italian cricket!
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Vikram M
207 is a massive total! Munsey's batting was a treat to watch. But honestly, the collapse from Italy from 113/3 to 134 all out was painful. They need to work on their middle and lower order batting. You can't win matches losing 7 wickets for 21 runs.
P
Priya S
Eden Gardens looked fabulous on TV! So happy the World Cup is back in India. The atmosphere must have been electric. Scotland played like a seasoned team. Hope to see more such high-scoring games in Kolkata. 🎉
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Rohit P
Respectful criticism for the broadcast and coverage: Could we get more analysis on Associate nation players? Many of us don't know much about the Italian team. A short profile on players like Ben Manenti would help us connect more with these new teams.
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Michael C
That's the beauty of the T20 World Cup format. It gives teams like Italy a global stage. The scoreline looks one-sided, but there were moments of real quality from the newcomers. Cricket is growing, and that's good for everyone.

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