The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 saw Italy deliver a crushing performance against Nepal in Match 17 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, on February 12. Italy won by 10 wickets with 44 balls remaining. The Mosca brothers stole the show with an unbeaten opening partnership that earned them a dominant victory.
For Nepal, Karan KC tried his best with an unbeaten 18 runs off 11 balls. But Italy’s bowlers restricted Nepal to just 123 runs. Crishan Kalugamage was named Player of the Match for his brilliant bowling figures of 3/18.
Match Summary: NEP vs ITA
Here is the complete match summary of this one-sided Group C encounter:
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Nepal Score | 123/10 (19.3 overs) |
| Italy Score | 124/0 (12.4 overs) |
| Match Result | Italy won by 10 wickets (44 balls remaining) |
| Best Batting (NEP) | Aarif Sheikh – 27 off 24 balls (3 fours) |
| Best Batting (ITA) | Anthony Mosca – 62* off 32 balls (3 fours, 6 sixes) |
| Best Bowling (ITA) | Crishan Kalugamage – 3/18 in 4 overs (Econ: 4.50) |
| Player of the Match | Crishan Kalugamage (ITA) |
Nepal captain Rohit Paudel won the toss, but the decision to bat first backfired. Italy’s bowlers kept Nepal under pressure throughout the innings.
Nepal Innings: 123/10 in 19.3 Overs
Nepal struggled from the start. Kushal Bhurtel fell early, caught by J Mosca off Ali Hasan for just 5 runs. Aasif Sheikh tried to steady the innings with 20 off 20 balls before BAD Manenti stumped him.
Captain Rohit Paudel scored 23 off 14 balls with two sixes. His strike rate of 164.28 brought some hope. But Kalugamage dismissed him, caught by Stewart.
Aarif Sheikh was the top scorer with 27 off 24 balls, hitting three fours. Dipendra Singh Airee added 17 off 18 balls. But regular wickets kept falling. Karan KC remained not out with 18 off 11 balls at a strike rate of 163.63. He hit one four and one six.
Nepal’s innings ended at 123/10 in 19.3 overs with a run rate of just 6.30. The last four wickets fell for just 21 runs as Italy’s bowlers tightened their grip.
Italy Chase: 124/0 in 12.4 Overs
Italy’s chase was a masterclass in aggressive batting. Openers Justin Mosca and Anthony Mosca never looked troubled. They raced to 50 in just 24 balls. Justin Mosca reached his fifty in 37 balls with five fours and two sixes.
Anthony Mosca was even more explosive. He smashed 62 not out off just 32 balls. His innings included three fours and six massive sixes. His strike rate of 193.75 destroyed any hopes Nepal had.
Italy reached 100 in just 10.5 overs. The opening pair added 124 runs without losing a wicket. Nepal’s bowlers looked helpless. Sandeep Lamichhane went for 31 runs in his 3 overs. Lalit Rajbanshi gave away 19 runs in a single over.
Italy finished the chase in 12.4 overs with all 10 wickets intact. The 44 balls remaining showed just how dominant their victory was.
Key Highlight: Player of the Match – Crishan Kalugamage Dominates
The Italian all-rounder delivered a match-winning bowling performance:
With the ball: 3/18 in 4 overs (Economy: 4.50)
Dot balls: 11
Kalugamage struck key blows by dismissing Rohit Paudel and Gulsan Jha. His tight bowling kept Nepal’s run rate in check. Ben Manenti also bowled well with figures of 2/9 in 4 overs at an economy of just 2.25.
