Italy’s fairy-tale run at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 gathered momentum at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai as Justin Mosca and Anthony Mosca scripted history with a breathtaking opening stand against Nepal. The Mosca brothers became the first sibling pair to score half-centuries in the same T20 World Cup match, guiding Italy to a dominant 10-wicket victory while chasing a modest target of 124.
Opening the innings, the brothers displayed contrasting yet complementary styles. Justin Mosca anchored the chase with a composed unbeaten 60 off 44 balls, finding the gaps and rotating strike smartly. At the other end, Anthony Mosca played the aggressor’s role, hammering an unbeaten 62 from just 32 deliveries, peppered with clean six-hitting that took the game away from Nepal in a hurry.
Together, they added an unbroken 124-run partnership in just 12.4 overs, sealing the chase without the loss of a wicket and sending the Italian camp into celebrations. This landmark moment adds a unique chapter to T20 World Cup history.
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While sibling duos such as Kamran Akmal and Umar Akmal for Pakistan, and Michael Hussey and David Hussey for Australia, have previously scored half-centuries in the tournament, never before had two brothers reached the milestone in the same match. The Mosca brothers’ effort underlined Italy’s growing confidence on the global stage.
Fifty for Justin Mosca ✅
Fifty for Anthony Mosca ✅The first century stand between siblings in #T20WorldCup history! 🤝 pic.twitter.com/9CbkH3Fhhh
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) February 12, 2026
Earlier, Nepal struggled to build momentum after being put in to bat. The top order failed to provide a solid platform, with early wickets putting pressure on the middle order. Rohit Paudel and Aarif Sheikh showed some resistance with handy contributions, while Karan KC added late runs to push Nepal to 123. However, Italy’s disciplined bowling attack, led by Crishan Kalugamage’s impressive three-wicket haul and tight spells from Benjamin Manenti, ensured Nepal never truly accelerated.
Nepal’s bowlers found little assistance on a batting-friendly Wankhede surface and were unable to break the Mosca partnership. The lack of early breakthroughs proved costly, as Italy cruised home with overs to spare.
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The comprehensive win has lifted Italy to third place in Group C, keeping their qualification hopes alive. For Nepal, the defeat compounds their struggles in the tournament, leaving them rooted at the bottom of the table. More importantly, the night belonged to the Mosca brothers, whose historic partnership will be remembered as one of the standout moments of the T20 World Cup 2026.
