Joe Burns Appointed as New Captain of Italy Cricket Team

Former Australian batter Joe Burns, who joined the Italy cricket team in May this year, has been named as the new captain of the side. Burns, born in Brisbane, has Italian heritage through his mother, which led him to move to Italy, the football-crazy nation. He made his debut for the Italy cricket team in June.

Speaking about his appointment as captain, Burns said, "I am deeply honored to be leading Italy at the international level. For me, it is like returning to my family roots. Italian cricket has great potential, and I want to contribute to their growth. Along with my teammates, I aim to fulfill our dreams and make our supporters proud with our performances."

Fabio Marabini, President of the Italian Cricket Federation, commented, "From day one, Joe Burns has shown generosity and a professional mindset. His international cricket experience and spirit have spread throughout the team. Appointing him as captain is the first step in our goal to elevate Italian cricket to a new level. We have also considered him for leadership in the 2026 T20 World Cup qualifiers."

Burns has played five T20 matches for Italy so far, scoring 211 runs at an average of 70.33. Recently, he played an unbeaten innings of 108 runs from 55 balls, helping Italy secure a victory against Romania in the T20 World Cup Europe Sub-regional Qualifier Group 'A'.

In addition to international cricket, Burns also competes in franchise T20 tournaments. He has been signed by Dubai Capitals for the upcoming ILT20 in the United Arab Emirates. Burns has also played in the Big Bash League and the Vitality Blast.

As an Australian Test opener, Burns played 23 matches, amassing 1,442 runs from 40 innings. Between December 2014 and December 2022, he scored four centuries.