For Italy, it’ll be their first ever qualification for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
After being restricted for 134/7, Italy needed to hold Netherlands for at least 15 overs in order to qualify.
Michael Levitt and Max O’Dowd got the hosts off to a flier in the Powerplay that took the momentum away from Italy early on but the visitors made sure to stretch the match till the 17th over to help themselves book a berth to India and Sri Lanka next year.
In the first innings, the experienced Roelof van der Merwe helped Netherlands restrict Italy to a moderate total picking three wickets and giving away just 15 runs in his four overs.
Italy kept losing wickets in regular intervals and couldn’t stitch together a partnership to sustain the innings as Kyle Klein’s spell aided by van der Merwe’s tight bowling didn’t allow the visitors to score easily.
A steady knock by Benjamin Manenti and a late blitz by Grant Stewarts pushed Italy to a total of 134/7 in their 20 overs, which Netherlands eventually chased down comfortably, but it was enough for Italy to qualify for their first-ever World Cup tournament.
