While not a must-win, another defeat could seriously dent both teams’ Super Eight qualification hopes

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Nepal head into their Group clash against Italy with confidence and momentum, despite a narrow defeat to England in their previous outing. Falling short by just one big hit, Rohit Paudel’s side impressed with their fearless approach in front of a loud Mumbai crowd and will look to replicate that brand of cricket against Italy, a team they are facing for the first time. With two vital points on offer, Nepal know that a convincing win could significantly open up the group ahead of their final fixture against West Indies — a team they defeated 2-1 in a T20I series last September.

Much of Nepal’s belief stems from the rise of batters Dipendra Singh Airee and Lokesh Bam, who have emerged from the shadow of star legspinner Sandeep Lamichhane. Against England, the duo nearly pulled off a famous chase, thrilling fans with aggressive strokeplay. However, Nepal will also be keen to tighten things up at the death after conceding 33 runs in the final two overs of England’s innings — a lapse that ultimately proved decisive.

Italy, on the other hand, are still finding their feet at the global stage. Their T20 World Cup debut began with a heavy 73-run loss to Scotland, compounded by the early injury to captain Wayne Madsen, who has been ruled out of the match against Nepal as well. Coach John Davison admitted the occasion may have overwhelmed his side, but Italy will view this contest as another opportunity to gain experience and potentially upset the group dynamics before tougher games against England and West Indies.

Form guide:

• Italy: LWLLL (most recent first)
• Nepal: LWWWW

In the spotlight:
Italy will once again rely on Ben Manenti, who stood out against Scotland with a counter-attacking 52 off 31 balls, particularly dominating the spinners. His battle against Lamichhane could be key. For Nepal, Lokesh Bam remains a major talking point after his explosive unbeaten 39 against England, where he took on the likes of Sam Curran and Jofra Archer, underlining his value as a late-innings power-hitter.

Teams (probable):

• Italy: Anthony Mosca, Justin Mosca, JJ Smuts, Marcus Campopiano, Harry Manenti (capt), Ben Manenti, Grant Stewart, Gian-Piero Meade (wk), Thomas Draca, Crishan Kalugamage, Ali Hasan
• Nepal: Aasif Sheikh (wk), Kushal Bhurtel, Rohit Paudel (capt), Dipendra Airee, Aarif Sheikh, Lokesh Bam, Gulsan Jha, Karan KC, Sandeep Lamichhane, Nandan Yadav, Sher Malla

Pitch and conditions:
Warm and dry conditions are expected at the Wankhede Stadium, with afternoon temperatures in the mid-30s. The surface has offered good value for batters, with first-innings scores of 161 and 184 already defended in the tournament. Dew is unlikely to play a major role.

Stats and trivia:

• Ben and Harry Manenti’s 73-run stand against Scotland is the second-highest partnership between brothers in T20 World Cup history.
• Among bowlers with at least 130 T20I wickets, Sandeep Lamichhane boasts the best economy rate (6.03).

Quote:
“Yes, disappointment is there, but the way we played against England gave us a lot of confidence. We’ve planned well, and now it’s time to execute those plans,” said Nepal captain Rohit Paudel, reflecting on the narrow loss.

With confidence high and qualification hopes still alive, Nepal will back themselves to convert promise into points, while Italy look to respond with freedom and fight in a contest that could shape the group standings.