India, Feb. 4 -- Cricket has always been a fringe sport in a football-mad Italy ever since it was introduced in the country by British sailors and diplomats in the late 18th century. But two centuries later, their moment to shed the tag of the unknown seems to have come. The Italians, led by Wayne Madsen, are ready to make a strong impression in the upcoming T20 World Cup, and that is not just a fancy statement. The four-wicket win over Ireland last month in a bilateral T20I series was their first ever against a Test-playing nation, and it has shown their improving skill level and lack of stage fright.

It might just be irony that one of the architects of that famous victory was assistant coach Kevin O'Brien - a celebrated former Ireland ...