New Delhi, Jan. 27 -- In 2024, the Italian town of Monfalcone controversially banned cricket, with its Mayor Anna Maria Cisint claiming the sport had no place in local culture. Just a year later, Italy have scripted history by qualifying for their first-ever T20 World Cup, to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, next month. The achievement comes at a time when Italy's men's national football team has struggled for consistency over the past decade.

Italy, a nation celebrated for its four FIFA World Cup titles, motorsport dominance (Formula 1 and MotoGP) and cycling (Giro d'Italia), has a lesser-known cricketing past. The sport was revived in the 1980s when the ICC recognised Italian cricket in 1984, making it the first Affiliate Member fr...