Latest news with #ICCMen'sT20WorldCupEuropeRegionalFinal
India Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- India Today
Joe Burns journey: From MS Dhoni's farewell to leading Italy to T20 World Cup
The 2014 Melbourne Test against Australia is largely remembered as MS Dhoni's farewell from Test cricket - a poignant moment etched in Indian cricket folklore. It was a match that signalled the end of an era. In the shadows of that emotional goodbye, a young KL Rahul took his first confident steps in international cricket, beginning a journey that would see him grow into one of India's most adaptable stars across quietly, away from the spotlight, another debutant took guard - Joe Burns. His name didn't ring across stadiums, nor did headlines scream of a prodigy unveiled. Yet, in that moment, Burns too was chasing a Dhoni bowed out with grace and Rahul rose steadily through the ranks, Burns' story took a different turn - one marked by promise, but marred by inconsistency. He flickered in and out of the Australian team, unable to lock down a spot. His ODI career ended the very year it began, and by 2020, his time in the Baggy Green had faded away - not with a tribute, but with silence. But cricket, like life, rarely sticks to one script. And sometimes, glory finds you far from where you first sought five years after his last outing for Australia, Burns re-emerged - not under the Southern Cross, but under a different flag, with a different purpose. This time, he wasn't just playing - he was leading. As captain of the Italian national team, Burns helped script one of the most remarkable underdog stories in recent cricket has shouldered Italy to their maiden Men's T20 World Cup! Italy defy the oddsIn November last year, he took over the reins from Gareth Berg ahead of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Europe Regional Final. Italy weren't favourites - far from it. In a field that included heavyweights like Scotland and the Netherlands, few gave them a Burns believed - and made believers out of his didn't need to top the table; they just needed to hang in the fight. And they did. In their final league match, the equation was razor-thin. Netherlands had to chase 135 inside 15 overs to qualify. Italy's task was simpler, yet nerve-wracking - don't let they didn't. Netherlands won, but not quickly enough. As the 16th over began, Italy knew they had done it. Against all odds, they had booked their place in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup - their first ever - to be held in India and Sri may not have had the fairy-tale Australian career, but now, he stands at the heart of a different kind of legacy - one built not on applause or records, but on resilience, reinvention, and quiet perfect tributeadvertisementBack in May, Burns made the deeply personal decision to switch allegiance from Australia to Italy. But it wasn't just a cricketing move - it carried the weight of memory, love, and tribute. When he pulled on the Italian jersey, he chose the number 85 - not at random, but with number belonged to his late brother, had worn the No.85 jersey for the mighty Northern Federals in sub-district cricket - a team and a number that held deep sentimental value. It was also the year of his birth. Dominic tragically passed away in February 2024, leaving a void that no amount of time or cricket could fill.'This isn't just a number and this isn't just a jersey. This is for the people who I know will be looking down proudly from above. In February of this year my brother sadly passed away. 85 was his number in the last team he played (and his birth year) for the mighty Northern Federals in sub-districts,' Burns wrote in a long post on a year and a half later, as Italy prepares for its first-ever appearance in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, Burns can look skyward with quiet pride. With that No.85 on his back, he's not just leading a team - he's carrying a legacy, honouring a bond, and making sure that his brother's spirit is never far from the more than cricket. It's love. It's memory. It's Italy on the world mapWhen one thinks of Italy and sport, the mind often drifts to footballing legends like Paolo Maldini and Roberto Baggio, or the elegant swish of a fencing blade under Olympic lights. More recently, tennis stars like Jannik Sinner and Jasmine Paolini have carried the tricolour to global podiums. Cricket, by contrast, barely registers in the national sporting domestic structure includes the Italian Cricket League and a smattering of regional tournaments, often held far from the limelight. The challenges are many: scarce infrastructure, limited funding, and barely a flicker of media attention. Fields are often adapted from football grounds or gravel lots, with barely any grass in what Italy lacks in resources, it more than makes up for in passion. Players train and compete while juggling full-time jobs, families, and everyday struggles. They do it not for fame or fortune, but for the love of cricket and for the dream that one day, their adopted sport might find its rightful place in Italy's sporting the general public, Italy was never seen as a cricket-playing nation. For years, they remained invisible on the global cricket map - present in ICC records, yes, but absent from mainstream recognition. The T20 World Cup qualification has changed that narrative. It has brought Italy's cricketing dream out of the shadows and into the global Burns, this moment is nothing short of redemption. In Australia, luck rarely sided with him, and his potential often went unnoticed. But now, wearing the Italian colours, the 35-year-old has finally found his calling - proving to the world, and perhaps to himself, what he's truly capable of.- Ends
Perth Now
7 days ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
Aussies puts Italy on verge of World Cup
Former Australian opener Joe Burns labelled it 'surreal' after leading Italy to within touching distance of a first-ever spot in the T20 World Cup after taking down Scotland. Burns and his plucky Azzurri outfit need a victory over the Netherlands in their final match on Friday at the at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Europe Regional Final to secure in a first-ever start in the tournament. Even a narrow loss could see them qualify should neither Jersey or Scotland win their contest by a big margin. Burns, who played 23 Tests for Australia before switching allegiances and starting a new journey with Italy, was stunned after his team toppled Scotland, an outfit Australia played against late last year with a 12-run win at The Hague. 'I am really proud of the boys for this moment,' Burns said. Australian spinner Ben Manenti has helped put Italy on track for a T20 World Cup spot. Credit: Supplied 'To come and beat Scotland, who are a fantastic team, is a nice reward for sacrifices our players, staff and federation have made. 'Hopefully this is the stepping stone for a lot to come. It's a very emotional group at the moment. Being on the verge of a World Cup? It's very surreal.' Burns only made eight in his team's total of 6-167. But a bowling outfit including South Australian spinner Ben Manenti and his brother Harry, who took all five Scottish wickets, limited their opponents to 5-155 to lock in the stunning victory The Italians final match in Voorburg is the last of the tournament, ensuring they will know exactly what's needed to secure a maiden T20 World Cup spot. Next year's T20 World Cup will be played in India.
