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.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of listKalugamage 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.Italy cricket: older than you thinkWhen 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.While AC Milan has since morphed into a football colossus, cricket has taken much longer to develop in Italy. But the country’s inclusion in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, represents a huge step for the Azzurri.Italy’s success at the European qualification last July, in which they finished second to the Netherlands, guaranteed a World Cup debut. 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. Italy qualified through a superior net run rate, a …
