In arguably the most difficult year for sport since the Second World War, Italian cricket will take another important step in the coming days, closely accompanied by the European Cricket Network
This Saturday, Brescia and Kings XI contest the Italian T20 Championship Final and will meet again in the Men's Italian Cup Final, broadcast LIVE for the first time in history via the European Cricket Network from the new “Spinaceto” ground in Rome.
Due to the difficult COVID-19 situation, the two matches will be closed to the public. However, for the first time in the history of Italian cricket, you can follow these much-anticipated finals LIVE from the comfort of your armchair – thanks to the support of the European Cricket Network.
🏏🇮🇹 Saturday 31 october it's Finals day! And they will be live thanks to @EuropeanCricket
— Federazione Cricket (@FedCricket) October 29, 2020
👉 https://t.co/f4wAw9Vbl9#cricket#cricketItalia#LiveCricket#Brescia#KingsXI#CricketItaly#Finals#CoppaItalia#T20ITApic.twitter.com/KNYW4U8dOF
"It is an historic achievement" declared Fabio Marabini, President of the Italian Cricket Federation. "Saturday will be a great day for the whole cricket family. Broadcasting two finals via live streaming was our dream and now it will become reality! We hope it will bring many people closer to our magnificent sport.”
Interestingly, both the T20 Championship final and the Italian Cup final will be contested by the same two teams: Brescia and Kings XI. In the group stages, Brescia got the better of Venice and Asian Latina in the league, and Bologna and Rome in the Italian Cup while Kings XI defeated Bologna and Cantù in the league and Venice and Jinnah Brescia in the Italian Cup.
It is notoriously difficult to make predictions, even if Brescia did prevail when the two sides met in the T20 Championship group stages. After experiencing that painful double defeat, however, Kings XI have successfully changed gear. "Both teams deserve this historic double final," Marabini said. "The weather is fine and we hope to see a great show with fair play and great cricket from both sides.”
Both the Men's T20 open championship final (from 9.45 am CET) and the Italian Cup final (from 1.45 pm CET) will be broadcast LIVE on the European Cricket Network's YouTube channel.
The weekend of Italian finals continues on Super Sunday with the Italian Super Cup, between the Italian Cup winner and the T20 champions. On Sunday afternoon, the Super Cup winner will compete in a play-off for European Cricket League qualification against Asian Latina, who last year qualified for the European Cricket League (ECL20), which had to be cancelled due to COVID-19. The winner will qualify for the 2021 edition – ECL21.