Joe Burns left out as Italy name Wayne Madsen captain for historic T20 World Cup debut

NEW DELHI: Former Australia batter Joe Burns, who played a key role in guiding Italy to their maiden ICC Men’s T20 World Cup qualification, will not feature in the European nation’s squad for the tournament in India and Sri Lanka due to unresolved availability and contractual issues.

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The Italian Cricket Federation (FCI) confirmed on Wednesday that Burns has been omitted after a formal agreement could not be finalised. Wayne Madsen has been appointed captain in place of the 36-year-old, who had taken over the leadership role earlier this year following his Italy debut in 2024.




“Although preliminary exchanges of availability took place in recent weeks, a full agreement was never reached and, consequently, a formal contract was not signed,” the federation said in a statement. It added that internal technical and organisational assessments led to the decision to hand the captaincy to Madsen, citing the need for “stability, harmony and continuity” ahead of Italy’s historic World Cup appearance.

Burns, who last played international cricket for Australia in 2020, became eligible to represent Italy after completing the mandatory cooling-off period. He qualifies through strong family ties to Calabria, with his grandfather having migrated to Australia after being held as a prisoner of war during the Second World War. Burns also wore jersey No. 85 in tribute to his late brother, Dominic.


A proven performer at the highest level, Burns scored four centuries in 23 Test matches for Australia. His experience proved invaluable during Italy’s European T20 World Cup Qualifiers, where he captained the side to an unprecedented qualification. He was also involved in Italy’s Challenge League campaign in the 50-over pathway to the 2027 ODI World Cup.

Madsen, appointed captain in late November, will now lead Italy in a bilateral series against Ireland in January before the T20 World Cup begins on February 7. Italy open their campaign against Bangladesh in Kolkata on February 9, marking their first appearance at a global ICC event. They are placed in Group C alongside England, West Indies and Nepal.

While the final squad is yet to be announced, the federation thanked Burns for his contributions, acknowledging his significant role in one of the most important chapters in Italian cricket history.