Milan football

When Herbert Kilpin: When Herbert Kilpin founded the Milan Football and Cricket Club in 1899, the Englishman could scarcely have imagined that 127 years later, an Italian cricket team would play in a cricket World Cup. Under the Monday morning sunshine at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Italy will make its Men’s T20 World Cup debut against Scotland, a game that will be broadcasted to millions across the globe.

AC Milan may have risen as a footballing giant, but cricket faded from Italy’s sporting stage. On Monday, the Azzurri will step into their World Cup debut and mark a seismic chapter in their remarkable cricketing journey. Ranked 27th in the men’s T20I rankings, Italy comprises of players born outside the country, yet bound by Italian heritage and an unwavering commitment to rewrite the cricketing narrative in a football-obsessed nation.

“That can be a positive—you're getting players from all different types of backgrounds in terms of cricketing upbringing and different cultures who have all bought into this Italian culture, whether it's through living in the country for up to 15 or 17 years like a few of the home-based players, or it's through an Italian parent, or grandparent.