T20 World Cup: Michael Leask & George Munsey star as Scotland beat debutants Italy

T20 World Cup, Group C, Kolkata

Scotland 207-4 (20 overs): Munsey 84 (54), McMullen 41* (18)

Italy 134 (16.4 overs): B. Manenti 52 (31); Leask 4-17

Scotland win by 73 runs

Scorecard; Tables

Michael Leask and George Munsey starred as Scotland beat World Cup debutants Italy by 73 runs at Eden Gardens.

Munsey – dropped on 40 – blasted 84 as Scotland set 207-4 off their 20 overs, helped by Leask taking 22 from the final five balls of the innings.

Leask carried that momentum into the field, dismissing Italian opener Justin Mosca first ball as Munsey took an excellent diving catch to his right.

Despite a 73-run partnership between brothers Ben and Harry Manenti, Italy were always behind the rate and once they were removed, Scotland skittled the tail for a comfortable win.

With captain Wayne Madsen unable to bat having dislocated his shoulder fielding, Italy were bowled out for 134 in 16.4 overs.

Leask finished with magnificent figures of 4-17, while Mark Watt chipped in with 2-24 as Munsey pouched four catches.

Scotland – with one win from two – are next in action against England on Saturday, while Italy face Nepal on Thursday.

With a rushed build-up to the tournament having replaced Bangladesh, Scotland gave themselves a chance chasing 183 against West Indies in their opener before ultimately falling 35 short.

They built on that showing with an excellent batting display aided by a flat pitch and a rapid outfield.

Two thick edges brought Munsey boundaries in the opening over and that set the tone as the left-handed opener struck 13 fours and two sixes in a powerful knock.

Dropped by Anthony Mosca off the final ball of the powerplay, he and Michael Jones (37) added 126 for the opening wicket, laying the platform for Scotland’s middle order.

Brandon McMullen was unperturbed by the loss of both openers, striking stylish six after stylish six to up the run-rate further.

He finished 41 not out off just 18 balls and had the best seat in the house to watch Leask close out the innings by smacking Thomas Draca for two sixes and two fours.

Those fireworks took Scotland past 200 for the first time at a men’s T20 World Cup and also set the highest total by an associate team in the competition.

Although Leask and Munsey combined with the first ball of the reply, former South Africa international JJ Smuts and Anthony Mosca took 23 off Brad Wheal to spark life into the debutants.

However, both men were out within the powerplay as Brad Currie and Watt struck for the Scots.

The Australia-born Manenti brothers kept Italy in the contest, but Harry picked out Munsey at long-off from the returning Leask and Ben holed out to Jones off Olly Davidson as hope drained away.

Grant Stewart and Gian-Piero Meade both chipped straightforward catches back down the ground, before Wheal came back to dismiss Ali Hasan and wrap up proceedings.

Spin trio Leask, Watt and Davidson took combined figures of 7-80 as Scotland avenged their defeat by the Italians at last summer’s qualifier in the Netherlands.