The Italian Cricket Federation has confirmed that Joe Burns, the former captain who led Italy to their maiden qualification for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, will not feature in the squad for the landmark tournament.

Following preliminary discussions regarding his availability, the Federation stated that no final agreement was reached between the two parties, resulting in Burns being omitted from Italy’s plans moving forward. The decision also applies to Italy’s upcoming three-match bilateral T20I series against Ireland in Dubai, which forms part of the team’s build-up to their historic World Cup debut, scheduled to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

Wayne Madsen has been confirmed as Burns’ successor and will continue as Italy’s captain into the World Cup. The 41-year-old Derbyshire stalwart, who was appointed skipper in late November, will now lead the Azzurri at their first-ever appearance on the global T20 stage.

In a statement, the Italian Cricket Federation said the decision was taken following internal assessments and was guided by long-term considerations rather than immediate results.

“Madsen brings significant international and domestic experience to the position, having represented already Italy in T20Is, and remains a central figure within the squad’s leadership group,” the Federation said.

“The Federation can also confirm that Joe Burns will not be selected as part of Italy’s squad for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

“Although preliminary exchanges of availability took place in recent weeks, a full agreement was never reached and, consequently, a formal contract was not signed. At the same time, internal technical and organizational evaluations led to the selection of Wayne Madsen as captain.

“This decision responds to the need to ensure stability, harmony, and continuity for the team, elements deemed to be priorities over short-term objectives. These considerations were made solely in the interest of the national team’s preparation and serenity ahead of this historic event.”

The Federation also placed on record its appreciation of Burns’ contribution to Italian cricket.

“The Federation wishes to place on record its sincere thanks to Joe Burns for his service to Italian cricket, both as a player and as captain.”

Burns’ impact on Italy’s rise remains substantial. Eligible through his Italian-born mother, the former Australia Test opener, who played 23 Tests and scored four centuries at international level, was instrumental during the qualification campaign. He captained Italy through the decisive ICC Men’s T20 Europe Region Final in the Netherlands in July, where they secured qualification for their first T20 World Cup.

He even cited personal reasons behind representing Italy, Burns was driven by the grief he underwent after losing his brother at the beginning of 2024. He donned the number 85 jersey when he played as a tribute to his late brother.

Across eight T20Is for Italy, Burns scored 271 runs at a strike rate of 138.97, including a century, and featured in tournaments in Rome and Uganda during 2024 as part of Italy’s expanding international schedule.

However, reports in Australia have indicated that the relationship between Burns and the Federation deteriorated over off-field matters. According to news.com.au, Burns outlined his position in a message sent to teammates on 12 November, citing concerns around systems, communication, and governance.

“In my experience, we needed to address systems, processes, communication and integrity behind the scenes to give us the best chance on the field,” Burns wrote.

“Their response was that my standards were above the standards of Italian cricket.”

Burns also stated that he had accepted revised contractual terms, including reduced payment, and denied that financial disagreements were the primary issue.

“To be clear – I accepted their proposal on three separate occasions, which was for less payment than pre-qualifying,” he wrote, adding that “inefficiencies had gone on too long.”

Despite the separation, Italy’s focus now turns firmly towards the future. Preparations continue for the T20I series against Ireland in Dubai, before attention shifts to the World Cup itself, where Italy are set to face Bangladesh in their tournament opener in Kolkata on 9 February, a historic moment for Italian cricket, albeit without the captain who helped take them there.