Italy skipper Joe Burns hopes to play vs India in 2026 T20 WC opener

Having led Italy to their maiden World Cup qualification, the European team's Australia-born captain Joe Burns wants to "jump in at the deep end" during the T20 showpiece next year by taking on defending champions India in the opening match itself.

Italy made the cut for the event in India and Sri Lanka next year with a solid showing in the European Qualifiers that concluded earlier this month. The draws for the World Cup are still some time away from being finalised.

"You come to your first World Cup and you want the big stage. I'd love to be playing India in the first game in India," Burns told ICC Digital.

"I'd love to be playing Australia, England or all the top teams, that's the experience that you're after. You want to test yourself, you want to really jump in at the deep end," he added.

Burns said qualifying for the tournament was still a "surreal" feeling for him.

"A lot of planning and preparation went into it (qualifying). So it's satisfying from that aspect from the cricket side as well," he said.

He said the entire process was emotional for him and for the rest of the team.

"We did one week training camp in Rome, one week in the UK, and I said to them the first day in Rome, 'I don't care if we're playing Luxembourg in the first Sub-Regional game or India in a World Cup Final. I just want us to be the most prepared team in world cricket'...,  A former Australia player with four Test centuries to his credit, Burns made it to the Italian squad due to his mother's heritage. It helped him pull through a personally challenging phase which included dealing with the death of his brother Dominic.

"For me, it was an opportunity to unite family and cricket, and I think for our group, everyone has a really similar story to that.

"We did a great culture piece in Rome (in the build-up to the Qualifier), about who we are, where we come from, understanding each other's families and sacrifices made...," he said.

Former Canada international John Davidson is the head coach of the team, with ex-Scotland international Dougie Brown and Ireland star Kevin O'Brien as his assistants.

"I've seen a group of players who have grown and developed into a really close-knit group," O'Brien said.

"That can be difficult with players coming from different parts of the world but the common joining force with this squad is the Italian heritage.

"I've seen the guys improve, and that is not only with their cricket skills, it's all the other things that you need to be successful in International cricket, like attitude, fitness, awareness, cricket smarts, and work ethic," he added.