Nepal seek to turn promise into points

The International Cricket Council noted the biggest spike in followers on its digital platforms last week came from Nepal. This follows their team's performance in the 2026 T20 World Cup, where they nearly pulled off a major upset against England in the opening game.

Skipper Rohit Paudel stated after the game that Nepal did not come to the World Cup merely to 'participate', but with the belief they can beat any team.

If Nepal are to secure a World Cup win this year, their best opportunity may be against Italy—a team also experiencing significant growth in global cricket.

While qualification for the next round seems improbable for both, winning their upcoming match is essential to keep any realistic hopes alive. A loss would effectively end those chances.

Italy have been impacted by an injury to skipper Wayne Madsen, and his availability is uncertain. On a pitch that has shown a sluggish nature, they could still pose a challenge to Nepal. The match carries high stakes in what is viewed as a clash of emerging teams.

When: Thursday, February 12, 2026, 3:00 PM IST
Where: Nepal vs Italy, Match 17, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
What to expect: The pitch might hold up a bit, unlike the typically flat surfaces at Wankhede. Conditions could favour Nepal.

Team News:

• Italy: Wayne Madsen dislocated his shoulder while fielding. His availability remains uncertain.
  • Probable XI: Justin Mosca, Anthony Mosca, Syed Naqvi, JJ Smuts, Harry Manenti, Jaspreet Singh/Marcus Campopiano, Grant Stewart, Gian Meade, Crishan Kalugamage, Thomas Draca, Ali Hasan
• Nepal: Likely to be unchanged.
  • Probable XI: Kushal Bhartel, Aasif Sheikh, Rohit Paudel, Dipendra Singh Airee, Aarif Sheikh, Lokesh Bam, Gulsan Jha, Karan KC, Nandan Yadav, Sandeep Lamichhane, Sher Malla

Quotes:

"Our boys have given all they had… We didn't come here to just participate. We wanted to compete. And we had that belief in the group that we can beat any of the sides if we play our best brand of cricket." – Rohit Paudel, Nepal skipper

"The Nepalese guys have had the benefit of playing there… that's a big advantage for them. We don't have our captain, who is probably one of our better players of spin, so someone else will have to step up." – John Davison, Italy coach