"As a child growing up in the small village of Marawila, about 20 minutes from Negombo, Sri Lanka, Crishan Kalugamage played in the streets and at school, running in hard and bowling fast. But money was tight and economic opportunities limited, so when Kalugamage was 15, his parents packed up and moved with their three children to Tuscany, Italy, in search of a better life."
"Kalugamage could never have dreamed that 21 years later, he would pack his bags again, now a talented leg spinner on his way to India, about to represent Italy in a debut T20 World Cup match against Scotland in Kolkata on Monday. When English expatriate Herbert Kilpin founded the Milan Foot-Ball and Cricket Club in 1899, he couldn't have envisioned an Italian team playing in front of thousands of fans in India and broadcast to millions around the world."
"Their 12-run victory over Scotland secured their progression and stunned the cricket world; Scotland, one of the most successful second-tier nations, were expected to finish in the top two. A standout performance by allrounder Harry Manenti, who scored a run-a-ball 38 and took five wickets, and a 21-ball 50 from Emilio Gay, absent from the current squad through injury, turned the tournament on its head."
Cricket in Italy has grown slowly since its introduction two centuries ago, culminating in Italy securing a debut place at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. Crishan Kalugamage emigrated from Sri Lanka to Tuscany at 15 and developed into a leg spinner now selected for Italy's World Cup squad. The Milan Foot-Ball and Cricket Club was founded in 1899, and cricket's rise contrasts with AC Milan's football dominance. Italy finished second in European qualification, with a pivotal 12-run win over Scotland, standout performances from Harry Manenti and Emilio Gay, and qualification achieved via superior net run rate.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]