Nepal National Cricket Team Vs Italy National Cricket Team

Nepal National Cricket Team Vs Italy National Cricket Team Match Scorecard – Stunning 10-Wicket Upset at T20 World Cup 2026

The Nepal National Cricket Team Vs Italy National Cricket Team Match Scorecard from February 12, 2026, tells the story of one of the biggest upsets in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup history. Playing at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Italy demolished Nepal by 10 wickets chasing down a target of 124 in just 12.4 overs with 44 balls to spare. It was a performance that left the cricketing world in awe.

The turning point came in Nepal’s innings, where Sri Lanka-born wrist spinner Crishan Kalugamage dismantled the top order with a spellbinding 3/18. Then came the Mosca brothers Justin (60* off 44) and Anthony (62* off 32) who put on an unbeaten 124-run opening stand to seal Italy’s first-ever World Cup victory. For anyone searching the Nepal National Cricket Team Vs Italy National Cricket Team Match Scorecard, this was the match that rewrote the history books.

Match Summary Table

Team Runs Wickets Overs Result
Nepal 123 10 19.3 Lost by 10 wickets
Italy 124 0 12.4 Won by 10 wickets

Match: 17th Match, Group C, ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026
Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Date: February 12, 2026
Toss: Italy won the toss and elected to field first
Player of the Match: Crishan Kalugamage (ITA) – 3/18

Nepal managed only 123 all out, failing to build meaningful partnerships after a bright start. The Himalayan side fell in a heap from 93/4 to 102/8 in the space of just a few overs, handing Italy a very gettable target. The Italian openers then made it look like a training drill, powering to victory with more than seven overs to spare completing only the eighth 10-wicket win in men’s T20 World Cup history.

Nepal Batting Highlights

Player Runs Balls 4s 6s SR
Khushal Bhurtel 5 10 1 0 50.00
Aasif Sheikh (wk) 20 20 2 0 100.00
Rohit Paudel (c) 23 14 0 2 164.29
Dipendra Singh Airee 17 18 0 0 94.44
Aarif Sheikh 27 24 3 0 112.50
Lokesh Bam 3 5 0 0 60.00
Gulshan Jha 3 4 0 0 75.00
Karan KC 18* 11 1 1 163.64
Nandan Yadav 0 2 0 0 0.00
Sandeep Lamichhane 5 7 0 0 71.43
Lalit Rajbanshi 0 2 0 0 0.00
Extras 2
Total 123 19.3 ov RR: 6.31

Fall of Wickets: 8-1 (Bhurtel, 1.6 ov) | 49-2 (Paudel, 6.6 ov) | 49-3 (Aasif Sheikh, 7.2 ov) | 93-4 (Airee, 13.5 ov) | 96-5 (Bam, 14.4 ov) | 100-6 (Aarif Sheikh, 15.4 ov) | 102-7 (Jha, 16.3 ov) | 102-8 (Yadav, 16.5 ov) | 123-9 (Lamichhane, 19.1 ov) | 123-10 (Rajbanshi, 19.3 ov)

Nepal’s batting was a tale of missed opportunities. Captain Rohit Paudel played an aggressive cameo of 23 off 14 balls, but his dismissal off Kalugamage at 49/2 set off an alarming collapse. Aarif Sheikh’s 27 off 24 was the only innings showing real application, but once he fell at 100/6, Nepal’s lower order crumbled quickly. The final five wickets fell for just 23 runs, leaving a total well below the par score on a true Wankhede surface.

Italy Bowling Figures (vs Nepal)

Bowler Overs Runs Wickets Economy
B Manenti 4 9 2 2.25
Crishan Kalugamage 4 18 3 4.50
Jaspreet Singh 1.3 8 1 5.33
JJ Smuts 4 22 1 5.50
Stewart 3 32 0 10.66
Hasan 3 34 1 11.33

Italy’s bowling was a masterclass in discipline. Bernadino Manenti led the way with a miserly 2/9 off 4 overs at an economy of just 2.25 a stranglehold in the powerplay that kept Nepal pinned down. Crishan Kalugamage was the match-winner, claiming 3/18 with his wrist spin and removing Paudel, Airee, and Jha to break the backbone of Nepal’s middle order. Smuts and Jaspreet Singh chipped in with a wicket each. Italy’s spinners controlled the middle overs comprehensively.

Italy Batting Highlights (Chase)

Player Runs Balls 4s 6s SR
Justin Mosca 60* 44 5 3 136.36
Anthony Mosca 62* 32 3 6 193.75
Extras 2
Total 124/0 12.4 ov RR: 9.79

Partnership: Justin Mosca & Anthony Mosca – unbeaten 124 off 76 balls

The Sydney-raised Mosca brothers turned the chase into a highlight reel. Anthony, the more aggressive of the two, smashed six sixes and three fours to reach his half-century off just 28 balls. Justin provided the anchor five fours and three sixes in a controlled 60. Together, they didn’t just chase the target; they dismantled Nepal’s attack, leaving no scope for a comeback whatsoever.

Nepal Bowling Figures (vs Italy)

Bowler Overs Runs Wickets Economy
Karan KC 2 21 0 10.50
Dipendra Singh Airee 3.4 24 0 6.54
Lalit Rajbanshi 1 19 0 19.00
Sandeep Lamichhane 3 31 0 10.33
Nandan Yadav 1 12 0 12.00
Khushal Bhurtel 2 15 0 7.50

Nepal’s bowling was simply overwhelmed. Not a single bowler took a wicket in the chase. Lamichhane Nepal’s premier spinner and one of the best wrist spinners in T20 cricket went wicketless, conceding 31 off 3 overs. Rajbanshi leaked 19 runs in a single over. Nepal tried six different bowlers in desperation, but nothing could halt the Mosca brothers.

Key Moments & Tactical Analysis

Toss Impact: Italy won the toss and chose to field a shrewd call that put them in control from ball one. The Wankhede surface tends to have some early moisture under lights, and Italy’s spinners exploited a slowing track in the middle overs to perfection.

Powerplay Momentum: Nepal reached 45/1 in the powerplay, a reasonable start. But Italy’s powerplay in reply was devastating they galloped to 68 runs without loss in the first six overs, putting the game entirely out of Nepal’s reach before the drinks break.

Turning Point: Kalugamage removing Rohit Paudel at 49/2 in the 7th over was the decisive moment. Nepal had been building steadily; Paudel’s departure triggered a three-wicket burst that saw them slip to 49/3 by the 8th over. The momentum never returned.

Captaincy Decisions: Italy captain used his bowling resources cleverly deploying Manenti and Kalugamage in long spells to exploit the conditions, while giving Stewart and Hasan boundary protection duties later. Nepal captain Paudel, in the chase, shuffled six bowlers without finding any answers.

Pitch & Dew Factor: Dew on the Wankhede outfield in the second innings made gripping the ball extremely difficult for Nepal’s spinners. Lamichhane, who was Nepal’s trump card, struggled to generate his usual turn, handing Italy’s batters a significant advantage.

Key Stats Comparison

Metric Nepal Italy
Total Runs 123 124
Wickets Lost 10 0
Overs Used 19.3 12.4
Run Rate 6.31 9.79
Extras 2 (2w) 2 (2lb)
Boundaries (4s) 11 8
Sixes (6s) 3 9
Highest Individual Score Aarif Sheikh 27 Anthony Mosca 62*
Best Bowling Kalugamage 3/18 None (no wickets)
Powerplay Score (0–6 ov) 45/1 68/0

Disclaimer: This article is intended solely for informational and SEO content purposes. All match data, scores, player statistics, and scorecards presented herein have been sourced from publicly available cricket databases and news outlets. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information, minor discrepancies may still exist. We do not claim proprietary rights over any of the match data, player names, or tournament information:

Italy’s nine sixes in the chase compared to Nepal’s three across the entire innings tells the story. The Mosca brothers’ ability to clear the rope repeatedly not only accelerated the chase but psychologically deflated an already-down Nepal bowling unit. The 3.48 difference in run rate between the two sides illustrates just how thoroughly Italy dominated.

Head-to-Head Analysis & Historical Rivalry

The Nepal Vs Italy T20I head-to-head record is minimal given Italy’s recent entry into elite cricket, but this match at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is a defining chapter in both teams’ histories.

Category Detail
Matches Played (T20I) 1
Nepal Wins 0
Italy Wins 1
Last Match Result Italy won by 10 wickets (Feb 12, 2026)
Venue Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Tournament ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026

Historical Context

Nepal and Italy have rarely crossed paths at international cricket’s top table largely because both nations operate in cricket’s tier-two landscape. Nepal, appearing at their third T20 World Cup, had built credibility through competitive performances including a near-miss against England earlier in this tournament. Italy, meanwhile, were making just their second appearance at any global cricket event, having debuted with a 73-run loss to Scotland in their previous game.

That backdrop made Italy’s 10-wicket win all the more seismic. Italy became only the second non-British European nation after the Netherlands to win a game at the T20 World Cup. It was also only the eighth 10-wicket victory in men’s T20 World Cup history, placing this Nepal National Cricket Team Vs Italy National Cricket Team Match Scorecard among the most remarkable results in the tournament’s annals.

For Nepal, it was a crushing reality check after the euphoria of pushing England close. For Italy, it was a “momento storico” a historic moment that showed the world their cricket programme is no longer a novelty.

Read Also: Zimbabwe National Cricket Team Vs Oman National Cricket Team Match Scorecard

Conclusion

The Nepal National Cricket Team Vs Italy National Cricket Team Match Scorecard from February 12, 2026 will be remembered as one of the most stunning results in T20 World Cup history. Italy’s clinical 10-wicket win built on Kalugamage’s 3/18 and the Mosca brothers’ electric unbeaten stand was a statement of intent that reordered Group C dynamics. The result lifted Italy to third in the group, pushing England to fourth, with the West Indies leading.

For Nepal, the next fixture against the West Indies on February 15 in Mumbai becomes a must-win situation. For Italy, buoyed by this historic triumph, a clash against England on February 16 at Eden Gardens offers another opportunity to upset the established order. The Nepal Vs Italy game will be referenced every time an associate nation rises to shake the giants of cricket.

❓FAQs

What was the final score?

Nepal scored 123 all out in 19.3 overs. Italy chased it down at 124/0 in 12.4 overs. Italy won by 10 wickets.

Who was Player of the Match?

Crishan Kalugamage (Italy) 3 wickets for 18 runs in 4 overs.

Who scored the most runs?

Anthony Mosca (Italy) top-scored with 62 not out off 32 balls (SR: 193.75). For Nepal, Aarif Sheikh top-scored with 27.

Who took the most wickets?

Crishan Kalugamage took 3/18 for Italy. B Manenti supported with 2/9. No Nepal bowler claimed a wicket in the chase.

What was the turning point?

Kalugamage’s dismissal of Nepal captain Rohit Paudel at 49/2 triggered a catastrophic collapse. Nepal went from 49/2 to 102/8 in just under seven overs, losing six wickets for 53 runs and handing Italy a target well below par.