Uncertain future for Italy's cricketers despite T20 World Cup heroics

Despite a promising T20 World Cup debut, Italy cricket team faces an uncertain future due to a lack of regular high-level competition, potentially hindering their progress as an Associate nation.

Captain Harry Manenti did not hide his frustration, saying Italy are on a strong "trajectory" but it could drop off if they do not get enough regular cricket at this level.

Italy played their fourth and last match of the T20 World Cup, against the West Indies at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday.

Even though they suffered a 42-run defeat against West Indies, Italy had many memories to cherish including a historic first ever victory in the T20 World Cup against Nepal and giving two-time winners England a huge scare.

They also had their moments against West Indies when they staged a great fightback with the ball to restrict them to 165/6 after the two-time champions had looked on course for 200-plus total at one stage.

"It's not always the big dogs who win those games and who challenge and I think it's exciting for the World Cup," Manenti said after the match.

"I think for the Associated Nations it is hard, and it's not going to change overnight. It's a work in progress for a lot of them."

Future Prospects for Italy's Cricket Team

Having pushed top Test teams close, Manenti feels the bigger challenge now is making sure their progress doesn't stall due to lack of opportunities.

"We're on a really good trajectory. It'd be nice for us to keep tracking in that trajectory and not just drop off like a lot of countries and a lot of teams have over the years," said the skipper.

"If it stops now, for other Associate nations as well, not just us, but if it stops now, it's very hard for us to continue to break through like we are."

With their next T20 assignment likely only in 2027, Manenti underlined the challenge associate nations face, saying the progress made could stall if opportunities do not come consistently at this level.

"The next thing we've got is in August, in a one-day series of a few blocks.

"That's our next stepping stone in one-day cricket. Our next T20 game would be in 2027 probably, so it probably says enough as in where we are at the moment."

He pointed out Italy's rise in 18 months -- from playing on synthetic grounds against Croatia, Turkey and Luxembourg to pushing England and West Indies.

He said it is "exciting" for both the ICC and associate cricket, but admitted sustained growth depends on more consistent exposure at the top level.

"It's not easy to go from the lowest level of international cricket to the top in the space of 18 months. I think if you looked around world cricket and who's done a really good job, I think Italy would be right up there.

"To go from 18 months ago playing on synthetic grounds against Croatia and Turkey and Luxembourg to playing against England and West Indies and probably for 90% of both games we should have won those fixtures I would say. I think that's exciting from both ICC, Italy Cricket," he said.

Italy coach John Davison admitted his side fell short in key moments, saying they "probably leaked a few runs".

"A couple of the West Indian guys were nibbling a little bit on the same and bowled with good skill," Davison said.

"We probably leaked a few runs, bowled a little bit wide to Shai Hope. And then with the bat, we just didn't get going.

"We needed someone to get in and score a 60-plus, but we didn't really find any rhythm with the bat. so it was a little bit of disappointing," he added.