Joe Burns has been appointed captain of the Italy cricket team. The former Australian batter switched allegiances to Italy in May, qualifying through his mother’s heritage. Born in Brisbane, Burns debuted for Italy in June this year.
Expressing his pride, Burns stated, “It’s an honor to represent Italy on the international stage and reconnect with my family’s roots. Italian cricket has immense potential, and I’m excited to contribute to its growth. We aim to achieve ambitious goals and make our fans proud.”
Fabio Marabini, president of the Italian Cricket Federation, praised Burns’ professionalism and leadership. “Joe has brought his experience and competitive spirit to the team. His appointment as captain reflects our vision to elevate Italian cricket and excel in the qualifying stages for the 2026 T20 World Cup,” he said.
Since joining Italy, Burns has played five T20Is, amassing 211 runs at an average of 70.33 and a strike rate of 144.52. His standout performance came against Romania in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Sub Regional Europe Qualifier, where he smashed an unbeaten 108 off 55 balls to secure a win.
Burns’ talents have also attracted interest in franchise cricket. The Dubai Capitals signed him for the upcoming UAE ILT20 season, and he has previously played in the Big Bash League and Vitality Blast.
As a former Australia Test opener, Burns scored 1442 runs, including four centuries, in 23 matches between 2014 and 2020, averaging 36.97.
Italy continues to make waves in global cricket, with pacer Thomas Draca recently entering the long list for the IPL 2025 player auction, although he did not make the final cut.
Leave a Reply