MUMBAI:

Spinners Crishan Kalugamage and Ben Manenti helped debutants Italy to a historic first win at the cricket T20 World Cup with a 10-wicket hammering of Nepal on Thursday.

Kalugamage (3-18) and Manenti (2-9) combined to bowl out Nepal for 123, a total Italy’s openers overhauled with 44 balls to spare in their second match at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.

Brothers Justin Mosca, who made 60, and Anthony Mosca, who hit 62, tore into the opposition attack with fours and sixes to fire their team to a win.

A nation better known for its football, Italy are cricket minnows and the lowest-ranked side in the 20-team tournament.

They lost their opener to Scotland in Group C but bounced back.

Nepal were a far cry from the team that ran England close on Sunday at the same venue as they collapsed from 93-3 to be bundled out in 19.3 overs.

“It’s pretty extraordinary really. It’s something a lot of people in Italy, a lot of people in this group, have dreamed of,” Italy’s stand-in skipper Harry Manenti said.

“We didn’t quite nail it the other day but we backed up today and showed the world what we’ve got.”

Italy were without skipper Wayne Madsen, who dislocated his shoulder in the first loss, but came out roaring after they won the toss and elected to field first.

Leg-spinner Kalugamage sent back skipper Rohit Paudel for 23 and Manenti, who opened the bowling attack, took down Aasif Sheikh, for 20, with his off-spin.

“I always wanted to help the team to win a match and do my best for my nation, Italy — I’m happy,” player of the match Kalugamage said. “These are my brothers. I’m really happy.”

Aarif Sheikh attempted to rebuild in 27 but Italy bowlers were unrelenting in their pursuit of wickets and the Nepal batting came crashing down.

“We need to be more consistent and today was the day to prove that, but not taking away the credit from Italy,” said Paudel. “They played really well today and credit must go to them.”

The Mosca brothers then struck eight fours and nine sixes between them to leave the Nepal bowlers in agony.

The win made Italy jump to third and England slip to fourth in the group led by the West Indies.

 

Sri Lanka thrash Oman

Dasun Shanaka hammered the fastest half-century by a Sri Lankan in T20Is as the co-hosts thrashed Oman by 105 runs at the World Cup on Thursday in Pallekele for their second win in Group B.

The 2014 champions piled up 225-5, the highest total of the tournament, before restricting an outclassed Oman to 120-9.

The 43-year-old Mohammad Nadeem waged a lone battle for Oman, compiling an unbeaten 53 to become the oldest player to score a fifty in T20 World Cups.

Having promoted himself up the order and under pressure to deliver, Sri Lanka skipper Shanaka smashed a 19-ball half-century.

It has been a bruising few months for the out-of-form Shanaka since reclaiming the captaincy late last year.

But on a batting-friendly pitch he smacked the Oman bowlers to all corners of the park, peppering the stands with five sixes and two fours.

Before that, Pavan Rathnayake and Kusal Mendis laid the foundation as the pair each posted fluent half-centuries, stitching together a 94-run stand for the third wicket.

“After the last game, the manner in which I was dismissed, it was disappointing,” Rathnayake said.

“I wanted to make it count today, and glad I was able to score a half-century. Pallekele is always good for batting and I enjoyed the outing. More importantly, the team is one more step closer to the second round.”

Once the platform was set, Kamindu Mendis applied the finishing touches.

Fresh from his match-turning cameo in the win over Ireland, the left-hander scored an unbeaten 19 off just seven deliveries, striking one four and two sixes.

Oman were never really in the game as they fell to a second defeat at the tournament.

Sri Lanka spinner Maheesh Theekshana shared the new ball with Dushmantha Chameera and they accounted for two wickets apiece.

“We are a better side than what we showed today,” said Nadeem.

“On this pitch we should have kept them for 180, but 225 was too much. We have had two bad games now and it feels disappointing.”