Italy score first-ever T20 World Cup win; thrash Nepal by 10 wickets

MUMBAI: Dishing out some clinical cricket, Italy, in just their second match in the World Cup, recorded their maiden T20 World Cup win as they thrashed Nepal, who were highly disappointing after giving England a tough fight in their tournament opener, by 10 wickets. While Italy's crushing win silenced a large number of Nepal fans at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday, it also provided plenty of delight to the smattering of their fans at the venue. As soon as they ran the winning single, Italy’s Mosca brothers -Justin and Anthony, who pulverised Nepal’s listless bowlers during their blazing, unbeaten 124-run partnership in just 76 balls -screamed in joy and raised their arms in celebration, before hugging each other. Later, the Italian team acknowledged their supporters in the stadium, as they soaked in an unforgettable warm moment for the T20 World Cup debutants. After their spinners, particularly the 'Player of the match' Crishan Kalugamage, who bowled brilliantly to take three for 18 in four overs, skittled out Nepal for merely 123 in 19.3 overs, Italy's opening pair, the Sydney-raised brothers, Justin (60 not out, 44b, 5x4, 3x6) and Anthony Mosca (62 not out, 32b, 6x6) galloped to the target in style, notching half-centuries to seal victory with 44 balls to spare.Italy's historic win means that the points table in Group C looks like it’s straight from football-from the 'Euro' or the football World Cup. With two points in two matches and a net run rate of -0.352, Italy are third on the table, just behind Scotland, while England, with two points in two matches and an NRR of -0.650, are fourth on the table, with only Nepal below them. The humiliating defeat to a fellow associate nation brought Nepal, who went into this match as the favourites after losing to England by just four runs in their T20 World Cup opener at the same venue, back on earth with a loud 'thud.' Nepal are now out of the competition, and will play for pride in their remaining two matches, against West Indies (on Sunday) and Scotland (next Tuesday) at the Wankhede Stadium.Italy will play England on Monday.Asked to bat first, Nepal struggled to get going from the start, with Aasif Sheikh top-scoring with 27 off 24-a far cry from the way they raced away to 180 for six while replying to England's 184-7. On a pitch which as helped the spinners from the first match of the World Cup, Italy thrived on their three-pronged spin attack of Kalugamage, who is of Sri Lankan origin, Ben Manenti (2-9 in four overs) and JJ Smuts (1-22 in four overs), which returned admirable combined figures of six for 49 from their 12 overs to leave Nepal struggling.Bowling a disguise spell, leggie Kalugamage took the key wickets of nepal captain Rohit Paudel (23, 14b, 2x6, caught at long on), Dipendra Singh Airee (17, bowled off a beautiful googly) and Gulsan Jha (3, caught at wide long on) Anthony Mosca, 34, hammered his second ball, from Karan KC, for a towering six over mid-wicket, but it was younger brother Justin, a 31-year-old left-hander, who reached his half-century first, off 37 balls. Anthony took 28 balls for his fifty, as matching each other shot-for-shot, the brothers hammered nine sixes and eight fours between them, nullifying Nepal's spinners by attacking them at will.