Joe Burns has been revealed as Italy’s new captain. In May of this year, the former hitter for Australia switched to Italy.
Born in Brisbane, Burns made his debut for Italy in June after qualifying for the country through his mother’s lineage. “I see it as a return to my ancestry. My teammates and I strive to accomplish lofty objectives and please our supporters.
The Italian Cricket Federation’s president, Fabio Marabini, supported Burns’ ascent to the position. “Since day one, Joe has shown great generosity and professionalism, putting his experience and competitive spirit at the disposal of the team,” he stated. “His selection as captain is a reflection of our goal to elevate Italian cricket to new heights. Additionally, we are depending on his leadership to be a key player in the upcoming 2026 T20 World Cup qualifying rounds.”
Burns, who has so far played five Twenty20 Internationals for Italy, has amassed 211 runs with a strike rate of 144.52 and an average of 70.33. He defeated Romania in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Sub Regional Europe Qualifier Group A with an undefeated 108 off 55 balls in his most recent Twenty20 International.
Burns has drawn interest in franchise T20 cricket as well; the Dubai Capitals have signed him for the next ILT20 season in the United Arab Emirates. In addition to the Big Bash League, Burns has played in the Vitality Blast.
Between December 2014 and December 2020, Burns played in 23 matches as an Australia Test opener, scoring 1442 runs from 40 innings, including four hundreds, and average 36.97.
When Burns’ teammate Thomas Draca joined the long list for the 2025 player auction, Italy also became more visible in the IPL.
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