The spotlight shifts to Mumbai as Nepal takes on World Cup debutants Italy in a crucial Group C encounter. Nepal enters this match with a point to prove; they nearly pulled off the tournament’s biggest upset in their opener, falling just 4 runs short of chasing 185 against England. Led by Rohit Paudel, the “Rhinos” are riding a wave of momentum and global admiration, having firmly established themselves as the “giant killers” of the associate world.
For Italy, this match is about finding their feet on the big stage. Following a tough 73-run loss to Scotland, the Azzurri need a win to keep their hopes alive. While they possess experienced campaigners like JJ Smuts and the Manenti brothers, they face a Nepal side that is deeply familiar with Indian conditions and backed by a massive, passionate fanbase in Mumbai.
NEP vs ITA, T20 World Cup 2026: Match Details
- Date and Time: February 12; 3:00 pm IST / 9:30 am GMT
- Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
NEP vs ITA, Head-to-Head Record
Nepal and Italy have not yet faced each other in T20Is.
Wankhede Stadium Pitch Report
The red soil track offers true bounce and pace, allowing batters to play through the line with confidence. While the ball comes onto the bat nicely, recent stats show that spinners have been more successful (31 wickets vs. 26 for pacers in the last 5 games). As batters target the short boundaries, variations in pace and flight often lead to mistimed shots. Since this is a 3:00 PM start, the dew factor—which usually plagues evening games in Mumbai—will be largely irrelevant for the first innings. However, the track may become even better for batting as the sun sets during the second innings. Expect a high-scoring affair; the average first-innings total here is hovering around 180–190.
Squads:
Nepal: Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh (wk), Rohit Paudel (c), Dipendra Singh Airee, Aarif Sheikh, Lokesh Bam, Gulsan Jha, Karan KC, Nandan Yadav, Sandeep Lamichhane, Sher Malla, Basir Ahamad, Sundeep Jora, Lalit Rajbanshi, Sompal Kami
Italy: Justin Mosca, Anthony Mosca, JJ Smuts, Harry Manenti, Ben Manenti, Grant Stewart, Gian Meade (wk), Crishan Kalugamage, Thomas Draca, Ali Hasan, Wayne Madsen (c), Jaspreet Singh, Marcus Campopiano, Syed Naqvi, Zain Ali
NEP vs ITA, T20 World Cup 2026: Today’s Match Prediction
Case 1:
- Nepal wins the toss and bowl first
- Italy powerplay score: 35-45
- Italy total score: 130-140
Case 2:
- Italy wins the toss and bowl first
- Nepal powerplay score: 40-50
- Nepal total score: 160-170
Match result: Team bowling first to win the contest
