Nepal delivered a stellar performance against two-time champions England last Sunday at the Wankhede Stadium, narrowly losing by just 4 runs. Despite the heartbreak, the stadium was flooded with Nepal cricket supporters, who cheered on the team passionately.
The match highlighted Nepal’s refusal to back down in tight situations and the growing confidence in their T20 setup. Next up, Nepal will face debutants Italy national cricket team on 12 February at the Wankhede stadium, Mumbai.
Since their last World Cup appearances, Nepal has steadily built a competitive T20 squad. A 2-1 T20I series win over West Indies in 2025, along with consistent performances from key players like Rohit Paudel, Kushal Bhurtel, and Deependra Singh Airee, underscores their upward trajectory.
Italy, on the other hand, is making its ICC tournament debut in T20 World Cup 2026. After a challenging start against Scotland, the team is eager to prove themselves on the international stage.
NEP vs ITA Head to Head Record
The match played at the Wankhede stadium, will be the first international meeting between Nepal and Italy.
| Matches Played | Italy Won | Nepal Won | No Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Nepal National Cricket Team vs Italy National Cricket Team Timeline
Nepal’s last 5 T20I matches
In their last 5 T20I outings Nepal managed to win only one match and lost 4 matches taking their win percentage in last 5 matches to a meager 20%.
| Matches Won | Matches Lost | No Result | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 0 | 20% |
Italy’s Last 5 T20 Matches
In their last 5 T20 outings, Italy won 3 matches including one match against Ireland, and two warm up matches against UAE and Canada. However, they lost a match against Ireland and their ICC tournament debut match against Scotland.
| Matches Won | Matches Lost | No Result | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2 | 0 | 60% |
Nepal National Cricket Team vs Italy National Cricket Team Stats: Players to Watch Out
Batters to watch
| Team | Players | Runs | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nepal | Kushal Burthel | 1836 | 127.9 |
| Nepal | Rohit Paudel | 1676 | 119.3 |
| Italy | JJ Smuts | 233 | 113.7 |
| Italy | Wayne Madsen | 205 | 132.3 |
Bowlers to watch
| Team | Player | Wicket | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nepal | Kushal Bhurtel | 30 | 6.74 |
| Nepal | Sandeep Lamichhane | 130 | 6.04 |
| Italy | Crishan Kalugamage | 3 | 6.60 |
| Italy | Ali Hasan | 8 | 4.96 |
With debutant jitters and the inexperience of playing against top-tier competition, Italy faces a steep challenge against a motivated Nepal side.
READ MORE: USA vs PAK Head-to-Head in T20 World Cup: Full Timeline & Results
Nepal vs Italy T20 World Cup 2026 Full Squad
Italy National Cricket Team Squad
Wayne Madsen (c), Marcus Campopiano, Gian Piero Meade, Zain Ali, Ali Hasan, Crishan Jorge Kalugamage, Harry Manenti, Anthony Mosca, Justin Mosca, Syed Naqvi, Benjamin Manenti, Jaspreet Singh, JJ Smuts, Grant Stewart, Thomas Draca
Nepal National Cricket Team Squad
Rohit Paudel (c), Dipendra Singh Airee, Sandeep Lamichhane, Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh, Sundeep Jora, Aarif Sheikh, Basir Ahamad, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Nandan Yadav, Gulshan Jha, Lalit Rajbanshi, Sher Malla, Lokesh Bam
