T20 World Cup Qualifier: Italy shock Scotland, close in on maiden spot in extravaganza in India, Sri Lanka
Italy moved closer to qualifying for their first-ever ICC Men's T20 World Cup after securing a 12-run victory over Scotland in the Europe Regional Final. The win keeps Italy at the top of the standings with a net run rate of 1.722, positioning them favourably for qualification to the 2026 T20 World Cup scheduled to be held in India and Sri Lanka.
The Italian team, led by former Australian Test player
Joe Burns
, now needs either a victory over the Netherlands in their final match on Friday or a narrow loss combined with Jersey and Scotland failing to win their respective matches by significant margins.
Italy's position in the tournament standings shows them well ahead of third-placed Jersey (0.430) and fourth-placed Scotland (-0.150) in terms of net run rate, giving them a considerable advantage heading into the final matches.
"I am really proud of the boys for this moment," Burns said. "To come and beat Scotland, who are a fantastic team, is a nice reward for sacrifices our players, staff and federation have made."
"Hopefully this is the stepping stone for a lot to come. It's a very emotional group at the moment. Being on the verge of a World Cup? It's very surreal."
Italy also hold a strategic advantage in the tournament schedule, as their match against the Netherlands is the final game of the tournament, taking place after the Jersey-Scotland contest.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Nhà container vận chuyển thực sự có giá bao nhiêu? - Xem giá
Shipping Container Homes
Tìm hiểu thêm
Undo
This scheduling allows Italy to know exactly what they need to achieve in their match against the Dutch.
The situation requires Jersey and Scotland to adopt aggressive approaches in their earlier match to improve their net run rates and maintain their qualification hopes.
Scotland's captain Richie Berrington acknowledged his team's disappointing performance against Italy while maintaining hope for qualification.
"We kept ourselves in it but just didn't manage to execute at the end," he said. "A lot of the credit has to go to Italy, who out-skilled us with the ball in those conditions."
"Obviously today's a tough one, but it's important we learn what we can from this game. We will be looking to come back strong."
"We have to focus on coming back on Friday and looking to win that game then the rest takes of itself."
Catch Manika Batra's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 3. Watch Here!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
25 minutes ago
- India.com
Michael Vaughan Questions ICCs Double Standards As England Docked WTC Points For Over-rate But India Avoids Penalty
ENG vs IND: Former England captain Michael Vaughan has lashed out at the International Cricket Council (ICC) for what he believes is inconsistent enforcement of over-rate penalties during the third Test between England and India at Lord's. While England emerged victorious in the match, they were slapped with a two-point deduction in the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle for falling behind the required over rate. England Penalised Despite Lord's Victory The ICC announced that England were two overs short after considering time allowances, triggering penalties under Article 16.11.2 of the WTC playing conditions. As a result, England lost two crucial WTC points and were fined 10% of their match fee under Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct. The sanctions came as a significant blow, particularly as England had moved up to second in the WTC standings following their win. The deduction dropped their tally from 24 to 22 points, reducing their points percentage from 66.67% to 61.11% and pushing them down to third place. Vaughan Calls Out ICC's Double Standards Vaughan expressed his discontent on X (formerly Twitter), writing, 'Let's be honest both teams over rates at Lord's were very very poor… How only one team has been reprimanded is beyond me.' Let's be honest both teams over rates at Lords were very very poor .. How only 1 team has been reprimanded is beyond me .. #ENGvsIND — Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) July 16, 2025 The former captain's remarks have sparked fresh debate about the transparency and fairness of the ICC's disciplinary procedures, especially given that no penalty was announced for India, who were also perceived to be lagging in over rates during the same Test. India Escape Sanctions, Remain in Fourth India, despite having a similar over-rate issue according to Vaughan and other observers, faced no official penalty from the ICC. The team currently sits in fourth place on the WTC standings with one win in three matches and a points percentage of 33.33%. This discrepancy has added fuel to concerns among fans and former players over the consistency of over-rate rulings and their long-term impact on WTC standings. Sri Lanka Benefit from England's Slip England's points deduction helped Sri Lanka leapfrog into second place on the WTC table behind leaders Australia. With each point holding significant value in the tightly contested WTC race, especially with the final often determined by slim margins, the sanctions have already begun to influence the dynamics of the championship. Calls for Greater Transparency in WTC Rules Vaughan's criticism has reignited calls for the ICC to implement more consistent enforcement and clearer communication regarding over-rate penalties. With teams vying for a coveted spot in the WTC final, stakeholders are urging the governing body to ensure a level playing field in terms of disciplinary actions.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
25 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Scorching Club WC sparks heat fears for FIFA 2026 World Cup in USA
During the recent FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, soaring heat highlighted the dangerous conditions players and fans may face when the tournament returns next summer, this time on a larger stage with the 2026 FIFA World Cup across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. As global temperatures climb, experts argue that hosting soccer competitions during Northern Hemisphere summers is becoming increasingly hazardous. England's climate scientist Prof. Piers Forster warns that without substantial changes, like shifting tournaments to winter or cooler regions, 'we are only one heatwave away from a sporting tragedy.' June, July, and August have already warmed by approximately 1.05 °C globally since 1930, with Europe seeing a 1.81 °C rise . High Heat-Risk Host Cities The international players' union FIFPRO has identified six World Cup host cities at extremely high risk for heat stress. While FIFA noted that current evaluations suggest the 2030 World Cup (Spain, Portugal, Morocco) will not endanger participants, climate unpredictability leaves uncertainty. Health Impacts of High Temperatures Research highlights that playing under intense heat can cause hyperthermia, increased cardiovascular strain, cramps, exhaustion, and even heat stroke, according to Dr. Julien Priard from the University of Canberra. Many summer sporting events already shift schedules to early mornings or late evenings, but football, especially major tournaments, largely remains tied to traditional afternoon kickoff times for television audiences. Calendar Constraints and Logistical Challenges Modifying the World Cup schedule again, as happened in 2022 to avoid Qatar's intense summer, disrupts domestic leagues and European competitions. With the tournament expanding from 32 to 48 teams in 2026, the scheduling tightrope grows even more tense . Similar concerns loom for the 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia, where extreme heat may prompt another off-peak shift. The Bigger Climate Conversation Ultimately, arranging large-scale outdoor events is becoming a broader challenge amid warming trends. Athletes and recreational sports participants now face nearly 30% more daily moderate to high heat exposure compared to the 1990s, says Prof. Ollie Jay . As climate scientist Michael Mann observes, these risks reflect the profound effects of climate change on our everyday lives . FIFA, national leagues, and sporting bodies may soon need to adapt event calendars and locations to safeguard health and safety in an increasingly hot world.
India Today
25 minutes ago
- India Today
Scott Boland rewarded with career-best ranking after hat-trick in Jamaica Test
Australian fast bowler Scott Boland has reached a career-high in the ICC Test bowling rankings, climbing six spots to No. 6 in the world after his stunning performance in the third Test against the West Indies at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica. Boland claimed a sensational hat-trick, helping Australia to a dominant 176-run is now one of four Australians ranked in the top 10, alongside Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Pat Cummins. Notably, Boland also recently became the third Australian man to take a Test hat-trick, joining an elite group that includes Frederick Spofforth, Hugh Trumble (twice), Jimmy Matthews, Lindsay Kline, Merv Hughes, Damien Fleming, Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, and Peter the last session of Day 3, Boland got the wickets of Justin Greaves, Shamar Joseph and Jomel Warrican. Boland finished with figures of 2-1-2-3 as Australia bowled West Indies out for 27 to win by a massive margin. In the first innings, Boland was also impressive after taking three wickets for 34 runs in 13.1 overs.'Never far from the perfect spell' Following the match, Mitchell Starc - who recently became just the fourth Australian to take 400 Test wickets - praised Boland, noting that he would have played far more Tests had he been part of a different bowling lineup.'He is amazing. Would have played so many Tests in another team. He is never far from the perfect spell. Prepares all the time to play and shows what a wonderful Test bowler he is,' Starc said in the post-match presentation 14 Tests thus far, Boland has taken 62 wickets at an economy rate of 2.75 with two four-wicket hauls, two five-wicket hauls and one 10-wicket haul to show for his efforts. With Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins being Australia's first-choice pacers, Boland mostly has had to sit out of the playing XI since his debut in 2021.- EndsMust Watch
