The seventh match of the ICC T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier 2025 attracted Italy and Scotland which clashed in a match as played in Sportpark Westvliet ground in The Hague (Netherlands) on 9 July 2025. The two teams came out to the field with the aim of supporting their stand in the tournament. On one side, Italy was full of confidence because of beating Guernsey in first game, but on the other side, no one expected Scotland to win Netherlands.
Impressive start of Italy
Italy had a great start by defeating Guernsey by seven wickets in their first match. The special thing was that they achieved the target of 123 runs in just 14 overs. This win gave Italy an early lead in the group table and their confidence was reflected in this match as well.
Explosive batting by Anthony Mosca
Italy batsman Anthony Mosca has been one of the most impressive players in this tournament. Against Guernsey, he played an innings of 66 runs in just 37 balls, which was the highest individual score till date. A big innings was expected from him against Scotland as well.
Scotland’s comeback: Morale boosted by victory over Netherlands
Scotland’s first match was washed out due to rain, but they announced their comeback in the very next match by defeating hosts Netherlands by 6 runs. Defending a score of 148 runs was not easy, but their bowlers performed brilliantly.
Ollie Hairs’ aggressive batting
Scotland batsman Ollie Hairs played an explosive innings of 52 runs in 35 balls against Netherlands. His strike rate and speed of scoring runs took Scotland to a respectable score and gave the team the lead.
Chris Greaves’ bowling won hearts
Chris Greaves altered the journey of the game, when he snatched three wickets against the Netherlands. He contributed a lot in the winning of the Scotland side both by bowling tightly and taking wickets. Brandon McMullan also followed suit taking two wickets alongside him.
Rain became an obstacle, Italy and Jersey match cancelled
Italy was to face Jersey in their second match but the weather disrupted it. The match was cancelled due to rain, due to which Italy lost an important opportunity. This also affected the team’s net run rate.
Performance under pressure: Mentality of both teams
While Scotland was performing well under pressure, Italy did not get the benefit of playing consecutive matches. Scotland’s team came on the field with better balance and experience, while Italy had the challenge of regaining its rhythm.
Strong squad of both teams
Italy has an experienced captain like Joe Burns, while there are young talents like Anthony and Justin Mosca. On the other hand, Scotland has an experienced captain like Richie Berrington as well as all-rounders like George Munsey and Brandon McMullan. The combination of both the teams looked quite balanced.
Fans info: Where to watch Live match
In India, the FanCode app and site live webcast this game. But though this match was not covered in any TV channel, this has further strengthened the significance of the digital mediums. This news became very valuable to the Indian audience
Vision of T20 World Cup 2026
Neither of the two teams takes part in this qualifier round only with the hope that they will win, but also with the dream to enter the T20 World Cup 2026 (to be organized in Sri Lanka). To the teams such as Italy and Scotland, this qualifier tournament is a big stage through which they can prove themselves.
Conclusion:
Not only was the match of ICC T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier 2025 between Italy and Scotland exciting, it also brought to the fore the capability, enthusiasm and tact of both teams. Where Scotland gained their own foothold with a series of wins, Italy will need to regain their groove. It is clear from this clash that European teams are now emerging rapidly in T20 cricket and tough competition can be expected from them in the coming times.
July 10, 2025