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When Anthony Mosca dug out a yorker-length ball from Dipendra Singh Airee in the 13th over and ran through for the single that sealed it, he flung both arms into the Mumbai sky. A roar followed. At the other end, his brother Justin waited. The embrace was instant. Tears soon followed.
Italy had just silenced a sizable Nepalese-heavy crowd and created history – a 10-wicket win over Nepal in their Group C clash, and their first-ever victory at a World Cup. The margin was emphatic. The performance, clinical. And at its heart were three men who scripted an evening few in Italian cricket will forget.
The Mosca masterclass
Chasing 124, the Mosca brothers made the target look trivial, racing home in just 12.4 overs. Justin, three years younger and a physical education teacher by profession, set the tone. The powerplay was carnage – 50 runs in four overs as he tore into Nepal’s seamers and spinners alike, unfurling drives, pulls and lofted hits with fearless intent.
Justin, who grew up in Sydney alongside Anthony, never harboured ambitions of turning professional.
“I never really had aspirations to play professional cricket in Australia. I studied for a teaching degree and was at university, so it was hard to pursue cricket. I love cricket for the competitive side of it and the team aspect, which is why I love playing with these boys so much,” he had told The Indian Express.
Italy openers Justin Mosca (L) and Anthony Mosca during the T20 World Cup 2026 match vs Nepal in Mumbai. (PHOTO: AP)
On Thursday, with Italy’s tournament hanging in the balance, he produced perhaps the finest innings of his life as the evening sun dipped over Mumbai.
At the other end stood Anthony, a carpenter and a builder for 12 years, matching his brother stroke for stroke. The sixes flowed on both sides of the wicket. Nepal’s bowlers searched for control but found none. Italy were 68/0 after six overs, the contest effectively decided.
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“There were definitely a few tears in the boys’ eyes. It meant a lot, especially for the two Mosca brothers – chasing down 100 together was phenomenal. We were also outstanding in the field. In our first game, nothing went our way. Today, everything did. But that was because we played brave cricket instead of being tentative like we were in our first World Cup match (against Scotland). Seeing AJ Mosca in tears shows what this means. You don’t often see players crying after a group-stage win – but that’s the passion Italians bring,” stand-in captain Harry Manenti said at the post-match presentation.
Both brothers reached their half-centuries in the 11th over. Rohit Paudel shuffled through his spin options, probing for a breakthrough, but there was no opening. The pair remained unbeaten – Anthony on 62, Justin on 60 – as Italy romped home with 44 balls to spare.
Kalugamage’s turning point
If the Moscas finished the job with the bat, Crishan Kalugamage set it up with the ball. On most Sundays, the 34-year-old is shaping dough in a pizzeria in Lucca, juggling orders during one of Tuscany’s busiest shifts. On Thursday, he shaped something far bigger – Nepal’s innings.
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The Sri Lanka-born leg-spinner, who moved to Italy with his parents in 2007, returned figures of 3/18 in four overs. These were not token wickets at the death. Rohit Paudel, Dipendra Singh Airee and Gulshan Jha all fell to his variations, each dismissal tightening Italy’s grip.
His journey has been anything but straightforward.
“I lost a lot of jobs. Sunday is a very busy day, lots of bosses aren’t keen on you not working because you are playing cricket,” he had told the BBC, outlining the sacrifices required to pursue cricket in a country where the sport barely registers.
There were reinventions along the way. Once a fast bowler, recurring injuries forced him to re-assess. The switch proved transformative. Since joining Roma Cricket Club in 2015-16 and breaking into the national side in 2022, Kalugamage has evolved into a control bowler. Ahead of the World Cup, he even spent time as a net bowler with Sri Lanka, gleaning advice from Wanindu Hasaranga – one of the leg-spinners he admires, alongside Shane Warne and Rashid Khan.
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Under the afternoon sun in Mumbai, Tuscany’s pizzaiolo delivered spin with bite. By the time the Mosca brothers walked out, the hard work had been done. Italy did the rest – and made history.
Brief Scores: Nepal 123 all out in 19.3 overs (Aarif Sheikh 27; Crishan Kalugamage 3/18) lost to Italy 124/0 in 12.4 overs (Anthony Mosca 62*, Justin Mosca 60*) by 10 wickets.
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