I'd Love To Play First Game Of T20 World Cup Against India: Italy Captain Joe Burns
After leading Italy to their first-ever T20 World Cup qualification, Australia-born captain Joe Burns is eager to 'jump in at the deep end" by facing defending champions India in the opening match of the showpiece event next year.
Italy secured a spot in the event in India and Sri Lanka with a strong performance in the European Qualifiers concluded earlier this month. The World Cup draws are yet to be finalised.
'You come to your first World Cup and you want the big stage. I'd love to be playing India in the first game in India," Burns told ICC Digital.
'I'd love to be playing Australia, England, or all the top teams. That's the experience you're after. You want to test yourself, you want to really jump in at the deep end," he added.
Burns described qualifying for the tournament as a 'surreal" feeling.
'A lot of planning and preparation went into it (qualifying). So it's satisfying from that aspect of the cricket side as well," he said.
He mentioned that the entire process was emotional for him and the rest of the team.
'We did a one-week training camp in Rome, one week in the UK, and I told them on the first day in Rome, 'I don't care if we're playing Luxembourg in the first Sub-Regional game or India in a World Cup Final. I just want us to be the most prepared team in world cricket,'" he said.
A former Australia player with four Test centuries, Burns joined the Italian squad thanks to his mother's heritage. This helped him through a personally challenging phase, including the death of his brother Dominic.
'For me, it was an opportunity to unite family and cricket, and I think for our group, everyone has a really similar story to that.
'We did a great culture piece in Rome (in the build-up to the Qualifier), about who we are, where we come from, and understanding each other's families and sacrifices made," he said.
Former Canada international John Davidson is the head coach of the team, with ex-Scotland international Dougie Brown and Ireland star Kevin O'Brien as his assistants.
'I've seen a group of players who have grown and developed into a really close-knit group," O'Brien said.
'That can be difficult with players coming from different parts of the world, but the common joining force with this squad is the Italian heritage.
'I've seen the guys improve, and that is not only with their cricket skills, it's all the other things that you need to be successful in International cricket, like attitude, fitness, awareness, cricket smarts, and work ethic," he added.
With PTI Inputs
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First Published:
July 22, 2025, 15:49 IST
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