Match No. 7 of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 brings together Scotland and Italy in an intriguing Group C clash at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Monday morning, February 9. With the tournament still in its early stages, both teams know how crucial this fixture could be in shaping their campaign.

Scotland enter the contest under pressure after enduring a difficult run in T20 cricket. They have lost their last three matches in the format, with their most recent setback coming against the West Indies on Saturday, February 7. Those results have raised concerns about their form and confidence, especially against competitive sides. For Scotland, this match represents more than just another group game. A win would not only halt their losing streak but also give them vital momentum and belief as they look to stay alive in the race for the knockout stages. Picking up points early is essential if they are to mount a serious challenge in a tightly contested group.

Italy, meanwhile, have already defied expectations by making it to the 20-team World Cup, a significant achievement in itself. Their qualification campaign caught many by surprise and highlighted the steady progress they have made as a cricketing nation. Although Joe Burns, who captained them during the qualifiers, is not part of the current squad, Italy will now look to adapt under the leadership of Wayne Madsen. So now, how they respond to this change, and how they handle the pressure of a big World Cup stage at the Eden Gardens, will be fascinating to watch.

SCO vs ITA, T20 World Cup 2026: Match details

• Date and Time: February 9; 11:00 am IST / 5:30 am GMT
• Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata

SCO vs ITA, Head-to-Head Record in T20Is

Matches played: 02 | Scotland won: 01 | Italy won: 01

Eden Gardens Pitch Report

The pitch at Eden Gardens is known for offering a fine balance between bat and ball, making it an exciting venue for T20 cricket. Prepared on black cotton soil, the surface generally provides true bounce and good carry, especially in the early stages of the match. During the powerplay, the ball comes nicely onto the bat, allowing top-order batters to play their shots with confidence and make full use of the fielding restrictions. Fast bowlers, however, are not completely out of the contest early on. With a fresh surface and the new ball, there is usually some pace and movement on offer, particularly in evening matches under lights, where swing through the air can trouble batters who are not fully set.

As the game moves forward, the pitch begins to dry out and lose some of its initial pace, causing the ball to hold slightly on the surface. This is when spinners start to come into their own. True to Eden Gardens’ reputation, the middle overs often belong to spin, with the surface providing enough grip to bring turn into play. Leg-spinners, in particular, have enjoyed success here, using sharp turn and variations to keep batters guessing. While the pitch rarely becomes unpredictable, the slowing nature of the surface demands smart batting and clever bowling, making adaptability the key to success.

Squads

Scotland: Mark Watt, Michael Jones, Brandon McMullen, Richie Berrington (c), Tom Bruce, Matthew Cross (wk), Oliver Davidson, Michael Leask, Chris Greaves, Zainullah Ihsan, Safyaan Sharif, George Munsey, Brad Wheal, Finlay McCreath, Brad Currie

Italy: Justin Mosca, Anthony Mosca, JJ Smuts, Wayne Madsen (c), Harry Manenti, Ben Manenti, Gian Meade (wk), Grant Stewart, Crishan Kalugamage, Ali Hasan, Thomas Draca, Zain Ali, Syed Naqvi, Marcus Campopiano, Jaspreet Singh

Also READ: Fans react as England survive massive Nepal scare in dramatic last-over T20 World Cup 2026 win

SCO vs ITA, T20 World Cup 2026: Today’s Match Prediction

Case 1:

• Scotland wins the toss and bowls first
• Italy’s powerplay score: 30-40 (6 overs)
• Italy’s total score: 140-150

Case 2:

• Italy wins the toss and bowls first
• Scotland’s powerplay score: 40-50 (6 overs)
• Scotland’s total score: 160-170

Match result: Scotland to win the contest.

Also READ: Jacob Bethell equals Kevin Pietersen with rare England feat in T20 World Cup 2026 match vs Nepal

MUMBAI: Many Bollywood celebrities attended the two-day event—Salman Khan, Karan Johar, Shilpa Shetty, Vicky Kaushal, Akshay Kumar, Ananya Panday, Raveena Tandon, Ravi Dubey and Madhur Bhandarkar, among others—leading RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat to comment that had the organisation invited people 20 years ago, it would not have got the same response. Khan’s presence prompted Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut to take a dig at RSS. “Was it a welcome only for Salman Khan or are all Muslims now welcome in the Sangh and its shakhas? RSS should clarify,” he said.RSS chief pushes for 3-child policy for healthy popn rateRSS chief Mohan Bhagwat reiterated a three child policy for a healthy population rate for the country, saying various studies showed that ‘three children per couple’ should be the norm if the population decline is to be stopped. Referring to the country’s total fertility rate touching 2.1, he said it is “being balanced thanks to Bihar”.Speaking on the second day of an RSS outreach programme at Worli’s Nehru Centre, he said the Hindu population is declining due to conversion and illegal immigration. He said if a person converts voluntarily, there is no opposition, but “forced or inducement-based conversions are condemnable and the response to them would be ghar wapsi ”. On illegal immigration, he said while govt is implementing the “detect and deport” policy, people must be vigilant and report such cases to the authorities and desist from employing them.He said global Hindu unity will eliminate the need for dependence on external forces to fight for rights and issues in any part of the world.He also batted for Bharat Ratna for Hindutva ideologue Veer Savarkar. “Even without receiving the Bharat Ratna honour, Veer Savarkar rules over the hearts of millions of Bharatiyas. However, conferring Bharat Ratna on him would enhance the prestige of this honour itself.”Bhagwat said given the country’s large population, it’s important to give work to people, and working on farms must be respected.On ayurveda, he said there is now a ministry to promote it. “There should be an increase in practitioners and those using ayurveda. Allopathy has expanded because it provides quick relief. In ancient times, there was a vaidya for 10-12 villages and he provided fresh medicine from the nearby forest. If ayurveda is to flourish, then practitioners will have to go and work at the grassroots level,” he said.On the Paris deal on climate change, Bhagwat said India is the only country that has fulfilled all its promises. “It is the West that exploited nature and not India. Those smokeemitting factories, the fertilisers that poison food—when will you ban them all?”

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NEW DELHI: Former Bihar minister and Lalu Prasad Yadav‘s estranged son Tej Pratap Yadav on Sunday refuted social media posts which claimed that he has been “blessed with a daughter”, Anushka Yadav.During a press conference, Tej Pratap dubbed RJD MP Sanjay Yadav, MLC Sunil Singh, former MLAs Shakti Singh Yadav and Mukesh Raushan, and Rameez — a close friend of Tejashwi Yadav — as “Jaichands” (a metaphor for traitors, referring to a 10th-century Rajput chieftain who had colluded with Afghan invader Muhammad Ghori) and accused them of hatching a conspiracy against him.Notably, Sanjay Yadav is a sitting RJD MP and Sunil Singh is an MLC, while Shakti Singh Yadav and Mukesh Raushan are former MLAs, and Rameez is a close friend of Tejashwi Yadav, the younger sibling of Tej Pratap, who was recently elevated to the post of the party’s national working president.Also read | ‘Reject this’: Tej Pratap Yadav rubbishes child rumours, says no link with woman named in past Facebook post“I am distraught at rumours on social media that a woman with whom I had been falsely linked several months ago, which resulted in my expulsion from the party, has given birth to my child,” Tej Pratap said.“There has been some suspense about who the Jaichands I have been speaking about are. Here are the names — Mukesh Raushan, Sanjay Yadav, Shakti Singh Yadav, Rameez and Sunil Singh,” he added.He also vowed to take legal action against the “Jaichands”, including a Rajya Sabha MP and a member of the legislative council.“I reject this (blessed with a child) claim. This is a conspiracy hatched by Mukesh Raushan and all these ‘jaichands’ in collusion to defame me. It should be investigated who Akash Bhati is, who has a relationship with that girl. This should be investigated, not what kind of relationship she has with him. What kind of relationship does that girl have with him?” Tej Pratap said.“Akash Bhati will tell you. Mukesh Raushan, Shakti Singh and Sunil Singh are all ‘jaichands’; this is all their game, to conspire against us. Now, let them explain what the relationship is between Anushka Yadav and Akash Bhati; they will tell you. I am completely depressed. We will submit our application, we will go to court,” he added.Last year, Tej Pratap was ousted from the party and his family after he shared a photo with a woman on Facebook and claimed he had been in a relationship with her for 12 years.However, Tej Pratap later claimed that his Facebook account had been “hacked” and said the post was part of an attempt to “defame and harass” him and his family.Tej Pratap later founded his own party — Janshakti Janata Dal — which drew a blank in the Bihar assembly elections.

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar praised Team India’s 29-run win over the United States in the opening match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on Saturday. While he lauded Suryakumar Yadav’s match-winning innings, Sachin also acknowledged the USA team for their spirited and energetic performance against the defending champions.India’s campaign began on a positive note with a hard-fought victory, as the USA pushed the Men in Blue but ultimately fell short by 29 runs. The match was largely decided by Suryakumar Yadav, whose brilliant 84 off 49 balls rescued India from 77/6 and helped post a competitive total of 161/9 in their 20 overs. He was the only batter to reach a half-century, displaying remarkable composure under pressure.

Sachin shared his thoughts on X, applauding both India’s finish and the USA’s fight. “A tense start, but a calm finish for Team India. When new teams step up to the occasion, cricket’s global rise accelerates — @usacricket did that yesterday, and their energy and enthusiasm was promising! They came close to giving us some nervous moments, but @surya_14kumar’s experience and composure under pressure guided India to a respectable total. Our bowlers did the rest for us. Well done Team India, always good to start on a winning note!”During India’s innings, Suryakumar Yadav smashed 10 fours and four sixes. Ishan Kishan contributed 20 off 16 balls, hitting one four and two sixes, while Tilak Varma added 25 from 16 deliveries with three fours and a six. Shadley van Schalkwyk (4/29) and Harmeet Singh (2/26) were the main wicket-takers for the USA.Chasing 162, the USA fell short at 132/8. Milind Kumar made 34 off 34 balls, Sanjay Krishnamurthi scored 37 from 31 with two sixes and a four, and Shubham Ranjane hit 37 off 22 balls, including three sixes. India’s bowlers, led by Mohammed Siraj (3/29), Axar Patel (2/24), and Arshdeep Singh (2/18), ensured the visitors could not get close to the target.India thus began their T20 World Cup title defence with a win, thanks to Surya’s composure and a collective team effort.

NEW DELHI: Former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly has praised the current Indian T20 team, saying they look strong and well-balanced in every department. He believes the Suryakumar Yadav-led side has what it takes to win the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and should be considered favourites.Talking to reporters, Ganguly highlighted how complete the team looks with both bat and ball, as well as in the field. He said, “This is a very powerful and strong team with all the balances – bowling, batting, and fielding. As the World Cup goes, they will get better. They are the favourites to win the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup,” showing strong confidence in India’s chances.

He also praised captain Suryakumar Yadav, especially for his recent form and leadership. Speaking about Suryakumar’s performance, Ganguly said, “He came in this tournament after scoring a lot of runs. He is a champion T20 player.”In India’s match against the USA at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on February 8, India were asked to bat first and scored 161 runs for 9 wickets in 20 overs. Suryakumar led from the front with an unbeaten 84 off 49 balls, playing a calm and powerful innings when the team needed him most. Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma also added useful runs to push India to a competitive total. For the USA, Shadley van Schalkwyk and Harmeet Singh were the standout bowlers.Chasing 162, the USA fought hard but could only reach 132 for 8, losing the match by 29 runs. Milind Kumar, Sanjay Krishnamurthi, and Shubham Ranjane tried to keep the chase alive with good knocks, but Indian bowlers Mohammed Siraj, Axar Patel, and Arshdeep Singh took key wickets to seal the win.Overall, Ganguly’s comments reflect growing belief that this Indian team could go all the way in the World Cup.

The morning clash on 9^th February at 11:00 AM IST will see Scotland meeting Italy in the seventh match of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.

Get the best SCO vs ITA Dream11 prediction, fantasy cricket tips, probable playing XI, and match insights for the 7^th match of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. Expert analysis and more.

SCO vs ITA Match Preview:

Scotland will be squaring off against Italy in the seventh match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 on Monday, 9 February 2026 at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata, with the match scheduled to begin at 11:00 AM IST. Therefore, this clash will carry strong importance for Scotland as they will aim to bounce back after a slow start, while Italy will look to begin their World Cup journey with confidence and positive energy.

Scotland are currently placed in third position on the points table of Group C, and they have played one match in the tournament so far. However, Italy will play their opening match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, and they will look to deliver an impactful performance right from the start. Moreover, Scotland will focus on tightening their bowling plans, while Italy will aim to surprise them with fearless batting and smart execution.

Also Read: India to skip practice in Delhi as injury worries grow in T20 World Cup 2026

Scotland and Italy have faced each other in 16 matches in T20 so far. Out of these 16 games, Scotland have won 4 matches, whereas Italy have secured victory on 9 occasions. Additionally, 2 matches ended without a result, while 1 match ended in a tie. Consequently, Italy will enter this fixture with a psychological advantage, while Scotland will look to improve their record and secure crucial points.

SCO vs ITA Head-to-Head Record:

SCO vs ITA Weather & Pitch Report:

Record of chasing teams:

SCO vs ITA Playing 11s (Predicted):

Scotland Playing 11:

1) Matthew Cross (wk)

2) George Munsey

3) Brandon McMullen

4) Richie Berrington ©

5) Michael Jones

6) Tom Bruce

7) Chris Greaves

8) Michael Leask

9) Mark Watt

10) Safyaan Sharif

11) Brad Currie

Italy Playing 11:

1) Emilio Gay

2) Justin Mosca (wk)

3) Gareth Berg ©

4) Marcus Campopiano

5) Harry Manenti

6) Benjamin Manenti

7) Grant Stewart

8) Jaspreet Singh

9) Thomas Draca

10) Hasan Ali

11) Crishan Kalugamage

Hot Picks for SCO vs ITA Dream11 Prediction and Fantasy Cricket Tips:

Captaincy Picks:

Top Picks:

Budget Picks:

SCO vs ITA ICC T20 World Cup 2026 Captain and Vice-captain Choices:

SCO vs ITA Dream11 Prediction Team 1:

• Keepers – Matthew Cross, George Meade
• Batters – Richie Berrington, William Madsen, George Munsey
• All-rounders – JJ Smuts (vc), Grant Stewart, Harry Manenti, Brandon McMullen ©
• Bowlers – Mark Watt, Benjamin Manenti

SCO vs ITA Dream11 Prediction Team 2:

• Keeper – Tom Bruce, George Meade
• Batters – Richie Berrington, George Munsey ©, Justin Mosca
• All-rounders – JJ Smuts, Grant Stewart, Harry Manenti (vc), Brandon McMullen
• Bowlers – Mark Watt, Benjamin Manenti

SCO vs ITA Dream11 Prediction Today Match 7 ICC T20 World Cup 2026 Players to Avoid:

SCO vs ITA Dream11 Prediction Today Match 7 ICC T20 World Cup 2026 Expert Advice:

SCO vs ITA Match Winner Prediction:

Considering the team combination, Scotland is expected to win this match.

MUMBAI: BJP corporator Makarand Narwekar has urged BMC to come out with a policy to implement congestion tax in the central business districts like south Mumbai and use the revenue generated to improve the city’s air quality. He wants BMC to tax private vehicles with single occupants entering high-traffic zones.Last year, MMRDA had discussed a proposal to levy a congestion fee on vehicles that spend 50 minutes or less in Bandra-Kurla Complex to ease traffic congestion in the area. However, the proposal has not moved ahead.Transport experts believe that congestion pricing is a good idea for Mumbai, if it is implemented in a holistic manner. Amit Bhatt, India managing director of The International Council on Clean Transportation, said globally, cities are trying to manage the number of vehicles on the roads. Even car-producing countries like China have restricted the number of vehicles registered. One way of managing the number of vehicles on the roads is by restricting the registration of vehicles, and the other way is by imposing congestion tax. Cities like London, New York, and Singapore have congestion tax to manage the number of vehicles on the roads. “If the number of vehicles increase beyond threshold, the city will be gridlocked. Unlike the West, we have heterogeneous vehicles on the road. The policy should be implemented in a slightly holistic manner and the money generated should be used for sustainable transport,” he said.Endorsing the idea of congestion pricing, A V Shenoy of Mumbai Mobility Forum, said: “About 400-500 vehicles are registered every day and whatever flyovers you build, they will not be able to accommodate these many vehicles. However, what is required is good public transport for those who don’t get cars. Congestion pricing and good public transport should go hand in hand.”Narwekar suggested that high-traffic zones could be demarcated using existing CCTV networks and Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras at entry points. “BMC should identify traffic-prone spots in the city and deliberate on the idea of congestion tax by charging vehicles for entering high-traffic zones. There should be a facility for automatic deduction via FASTag at checkpoints. This policy can be implemented in congested central business districts like south Mumbai on a pilot basis. This tax will also discourage unnecessary vehicle usage and encourage public transportation,” the BP corporator added.

NEW DELHI: Indian cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir hosted a special dinner at his residence in New Delhi on Sunday, ahead of India’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup match against Namibia on February 12 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. BCCI Vice President Rajiv Shukla was also present at the gathering, which came as the team prepared for their second group-stage match of the tournament.Watch:India began their T20 World Cup campaign with a solid win against the United States at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on February 7. Batting first, India posted a competitive total of 161 runs for 9 wickets in 20 overs.Captain Suryakumar Yadav led from the front with a brilliant unbeaten 84 off 49 balls, anchoring the innings after India lost early wickets. Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma also made useful contributions to help the team reach a defendable score. For the USA, Shadley van Schalkwyk and Harmeet Singh stood out with the ball, picking up key wickets.In reply, the USA fought hard but were restricted to 132 for 8 in their 20 overs, losing the match by 29 runs. Milind Kumar, Sanjay Krishnamurthi, and Shubham Ranjane played fighting innings to keep the chase alive, but Indian bowlers Mohammed Siraj, Axar Patel, and Arshdeep Singh took important wickets to seal the victory.With the opening win under their belt, the defending champions will now look to continue their momentum when they take on Namibia in Delhi. The dinner hosted by Gambhir was seen as a team-bonding moment as India gears up for the crucial match on home soil.