'it's Surreal' - Italy On Verge Of First T20 World Cup After Beating Scots

Men's T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier

Italy 167-6 (20 overs): Gay 50, Stewart 44; Leask 3-18

Scotland 155-5 (20 overs): Munsey 72, Berrington 46*; Manenti 5-31

Italy won by 12 runs

Scorecard

Italy skipper Joe Burns says it feels "very surreal" aft his broadside took a awesome measurement towards qualifying for their first T20 World Cup pinch a astonishment 12-run triumph complete Scotland.

The Azzurri, classed 32nd successful nan world, person moved to nan apical of nan European Regional Qualifying group connected 5 points, 2 up of Scotland, and person a superior nett tally rate.

Victory complete second-placed Netherlands successful their last crippled will rubberstamp Italy's spot astatine nan tournament, but they stay successful a bully position moreover if they lose.

Scotland will request to triumph large against Jersey successful their last crippled connected Friday (10:00 BST) to substantially amended their nett tally complaint of -0.150 and dream Italy's, presently +1.722, takes a hit.

Burns, who played 23 Tests for Australia earlier pledging his allegiance to Italy past year, said he broadside "technically cannot observe excessively difficult astatine nan moment" aft nan triumph successful nan Hague and acknowledged "there's still a large crippled connected Friday".

"I americium really proud of nan boys for this moment," Burns said. "To travel and hit Scotland, who are a awesome team, is simply a bully reward for sacrifices our players, unit and federation person made.

"Hopefully this is nan stepping chromatic for a batch to come. It's a very affectional group astatine nan moment. Being connected nan verge of a World Cup? It's very surreal."

After Burns won nan flip astatine Voorburg Cricket Club and decided to bat, Italy posted 167-6 from their 20 overs acknowledgment mostly to an blistering 50 disconnected 21 balls from Emilio Gay.

The Durham batter, who qualifies via his English-Italian mother, smashed six fours and 2 sixes earlier he was caught by George Munsey disconnected nan bowling of Michael Leask.

Off-spinner Leask past dismissed Marcus Campopiano adjacent shot to stymie Italy's momentum en way to figures of 3-18.

However, Grant Stewart played a important manus for nan Italians arsenic he vanished unbeaten connected 44 having deed 3 sixes and 2 fours disconnected 27 balls.

Scotland, who beat nan Dutch and saw their lucifer against Guernsey washed out, appeared connected people for triumph erstwhile opener Munsey and skipper Richie Berrington put connected 105 for nan 3rd wicket arsenic Italy looked group to beryllium punished for dropped catches.

However, erstwhile Munsey was caught by Burns disconnected Manenti for a 61-ball 72 pinch 16 balls remaining, Italy's bowlers started to move turned nan screw.

New batters Leask and Matthew Cross struggled to clip nan shot connected a transportation which took clip to get successful connected and some were dismissed by Manenti, who vanished pinch 5-31, arsenic he and Stewart conceded conscionable 1 bound successful nan last 3 overs.

The Dutch moved into 2nd spot by easing speech bottom-placed Guernsey by 73 runs successful nan day match, pinch nan islanders falling short connected 99-9 successful consequence to nan hosts' 172-1.

Scotland's champion chance of qualification now rests pinch beating Jersey and hoping nan Italians tin hit nan Dutch successful Friday's later game.

Scotland skipper Berrington, who vanished unbeaten connected 46 disconnected 37 balls, said his broadside must quickly prime themselves up for nan gathering pinch Jersey.

"We kept ourselves successful it but conscionable didn't negociate to execute astatine nan end," he said. "A batch of nan in installments has to spell to Italy, who outskilled america pinch nan shot successful those conditions.

"Obviously today's a reliable one, but it's important we study what we tin from this game. We will beryllium looking to travel backmost strong.

"We person to attraction connected coming backmost connected Friday and looking to triumph that crippled past nan remainder takes of itself."