‘Forza Italia’ in cricket: Thomas Draca dreams big on T20 World Cup stage | EXCLUSIVE | Cricket News
NEW DELHI: Italy all-rounder Thomas Draca is eager to step onto the field and soak in the sea of support from his country in the T20 World Cup. Long celebrated as a football-mad nation that has produced legends like Alessandro Del Piero, Gianluigi Buffon, Andrea Pirlo, Franco Baresi, Paolo Maldini, Roberto Baggio, and Francesco Totti, Italy is now scripting a new chapter — one that puts cricket on the national sporting map. Draca is determined to experience every moment, especially the chants of “Forza Italia! Forza Italia!” as Italy take the field for their T20 World Cup opener against Scotland on Monday at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.Draca was just six years old when Italy won the FIFA World Cup in 2006. That victory, their fourth, came after a thrilling 5–3 penalty shootout win over France, a moment that left a lasting impression on the young sports enthusiast.
“The moment is going to be surreal. It’s a dream come true. I was only six years old when Italy won the football World Cup in 2006, and that was probably the first World Cup I remember watching. Funny enough, I was supporting Australia at the time. People often joke about the comparison between Italian football and Italian cricket. The football team hasn’t qualified for a World Cup in a while, so it’s become a bit of a running joke. I remember playing a league game in Nepal when commentators kept saying, ‘Thomas Draca is playing in a cricket World Cup when the football team can’t even make it.’ That line always comes up. I was six when they won, and now here we are,” Draca told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview.“Football was my main sport growing up. I played until around 2016 and went through academy systems in Australia. In 2013, I went to Stoke City in the UK to try and make it professionally, and in 2014 I played in the MIC Cup in Spain against teams from Madrid and Barcelona. That’s when I really saw the standard in Europe — those kids were on another level and clearly destined to turn professional. I was a bit of a late bloomer and realised I couldn’t quite match that level. Cricket, at that stage, was something I played casually — backyard games and junior cricket on Saturdays, just for fun. But over time, cricket became my true love. Growing up, football was the dream; now, cricket is that dream,” the Italy all-rounder added.For Draca — who has played nine T20Is and taken 11 wickets so far in his career — sport at home was always a battle between football and cricket. His father loved football and his mother loved cricket.
“My dad never pushed me into anything. He always told me to choose what I wanted to do. Some of my extended family were probably a bit disappointed when I gave up football, but they’re completely behind my cricket now. During the Ashes, my mum suddenly started watching cricket — something I’d never seen before. She even called me to ask about Pat Cummins’ haircut. That was probably the first time she’d ever spoken to me about cricket. My parents never had a bias about which sport I chose. Once they saw I was serious, they supported me fully. Looking back, I’m glad I chose cricket,” he said.CONFIDENT OF BEATING ‘BIG’ TEAMSItaly earned a historic spot in the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup by defeating hosts Netherlands in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Europe Region Final.This milestone is not just significant for Thomas Draca but signals the beginning of a new era for cricket across Italy.Drawn in a challenging group alongside Scotland, West Indies, Nepal, and England, Italy are set to make their maiden appearance on the world stage.With little external hype surrounding the team, Draca remains confident, believing that Italy has the talent and energy to compete with — and even upset — big teams in the tournament.After playing Scotland on Monday, Italy will take on Nepal on February 12, England on February 16 and West Indies on February 19.“Our group is strong, but if we can get one or two early wins and then go into the England game on the 16th with momentum, you never know in T20 cricket — anything can happen. We’re coming off a tri-series against Ireland that we lost 1-2, and every game was extremely close. The margins were small, and by the third match we felt we had figured things out. Grant Stewart’s performance in the final game, when he hit three sixes in a row to seal the win, showed what we’re capable of. Performances like that earlier in the series could have changed outcomes as well,” he added.
“We’ve got a strong coaching staff and an open environment where ideas are constantly shared. Our focus is on being the best-prepared team possible. Now the task is Scotland, and we’re ready. If we can knock off a West Indies or an England, it could really make people sit up and take notice. We’re excited about the challenge and we’ll give it everything,” he said.INDIAN FOOD ON DRACA’S TO-DO LISTAmong all his plans, Draca has made sampling India’s diverse cuisines a top priority on this trip.“I’d love to experience the different foods and cultures. When I was in Nepal, I didn’t really leave the hotel much, so this time I’ve promised myself I’ll get out, explore, visit some tourist spots, and really take in the culture. A few friends are flying to India as well, and we’re planning to do this together. It should be a great opportunity to experience everything properly and try different foods,” Draca said.
