Scotland made a strong impact at Eden Gardens, beating Italy by 73 runs in the 7th Group C match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. After Italy elected to bowl first, Scotland’s batsmen took control right from the start.
George Munsey shines as Scotland posts big score
Scotland batted first and scored an impressive 207/4 in their 20 overs on a flat pitch at Eden Gardens. George Munsey led the team with a strong performance, scoring 84 runs off 54 balls, hitting 13 fours and two sixes. Michael Jones supported him with a steady 37 runs off 30 balls, while Brandon McMullen added late fireworks with 41 runs off just 18 balls, including four sixes. Contributions from Richie Berrington and Michael Leask’s
Italy’s bowlers had difficulty stopping the runs, with Ali Hasan standing out with figures of 1 for 21 from four overs. Grant Stewart, JJ Smuts, and Thomas Jack Draca each took one wicket but conceded many runs as Scotland kept scoring.
Michael Leask’s bowling shines as Italy falls short
In pursuit of 208 runs, Italy struggled to build momentum and faced tight Scottish bowling from the start. The early loss of Justin Mosca for a duck set them back, and they lost wickets regularly, despite some middle-order resistance.
Ben Manenti managed to score 52 runs off 31 balls with five fours and a six, while Harry Manenti added 37 runs from 25 balls to momentarily boost their chances. JJ Smuts contributed a quick 22 off 11 balls, but the required run rate kept increasing due to falling wickets.
Leask excelled with impressive figures of 4 for 17 in four overs, dismantling Italy’s middle order. Mark Watt supported him well with 2 for 24, while Bradley Currie and Oliver Davidson took crucial wickets. Italy finished their innings at 134/9 in 16.4 overs. Their situation worsened when captain Wayne Madsen was unable to bat after dislocating his shoulder while fielding, further complicating their chase.
