'Not here to make up the numbers!': Italy’s World Cup debut comes with a warning from skipper Wayne Madsen

The Azzurri are four-time winners of football’s World Cup while the nation is currently hosting the Winter Olympics but Madsen hopes their band of brothers – literally, in the case of four of their 15-man squad – can help cricket gain traction.

The 42-year-old took on the captaincy reins when Joe Burns was dropped prior to the tournament and is appearing in a World Cup for the second time in a second sport, having represented South Africa at hockey’s equivalent 20 years ago.

Two decades on, he is gearing up to lead Italy into their brave new world and the signs are promising, with Madsen’s side defeating Ireland, Canada and the UAE in recent weeks.

“We are here to win games,” he said. “That has been something we have been clear about as a group.

“The brand of cricket we want to play is being brave and taking the game on. We have built up some confidence and the trick now is to do it under pressure.

“It is a first-time experience for all of us and we are the underdogs of the World Cup but we have been very clear in terms of the legacy we want to leave in Italian cricket.

“It has been exciting as everyone comes from very different backgrounds, it’s a mix of cultures and it seems to work well, we have connected really well as a group and it is an exciting time.

“It’s not like there is nothing to lose but we are going in to enjoy ourselves and really take our opportunity. It is nice to be building some momentum going into the first game off the back of that mindset.”

Madsen qualifies for Italy through his grandmother and first had conversations about the prospect of representing them in 2007, shortly after switching sports.

In 2012, he was due to don the blue jersey in a World Cup Qualifier but pulled out to go on a pre-season tour with Derbyshire, who had just appointed him as captain.

Chats with Gareth Berg brought the idea back to the table and having been part of the squad who failed to qualify in 2023, he returned two years later to help them to the showpiece.

“It’s hugely important for me to represent my heritage and my family,” he said. “I have extended family still in Italy and they are aware that I’ll be playing in this World Cup.

“To go out there and do it for them is an extremely proud moment and I don’t take it lightly.

“It is of massive importance for the sport in Italy and the responsibility we have as players is going to be huge for the game globally but in particular in Italy.

“The better we do, the more likely we are to get more money to be able to grow the game in terms of building facilities – we don’t have any grass wickets in the country and for us as players, we would love to play in Italy.

“It is a responsibility on us over the next few weeks to showcase our skills on the field but what we can bring to world cricket. That is of huge importance for growing the game back home.

“It will be on TV in Italy for the first time, they are showing all our games and the semi-finals and final, so it is massive for the country in terms of developing the game.”

Two sets of Australian-born brothers, opening batters Justin and Anthony Mosca, and Harry and Ben Manenti, will be key to Italy’s chances while Madsen is backing leg-spinner Crishan Kalugamage to surprise a few people in the coming weeks.

West Indies, Scotland, Nepal and England lie in wait in Group C and having played the bulk of his cricket in the UK, Madsen is particularly looking forward to taking on the latter.

“At the draw, there were two games I was looking for, South Africa and England, and I got one of them,” he said.

“I’m really excited, I know pretty much the whole team, and if all goes to plan it will be a crucial game for us.

“T20 is a leveller in terms of needing one or two guys to come off and a big team to have a slight off day, then anything can happen. The England game is the one I’m really looking forward to and excited about.

“After the hockey World Cup in 2006, when I took a sabbatical to give cricket a go, I never envisaged it would quite go the way it has.

“To have the opportunity to represent Italy at a World Cup… not in a million dreams would I have thought this could happen.”