T20 World Cup 2026: Know Your Player - Thomas Draca, Italy's X-Factor

T20 World Cup 2026: Know Your Player - Thomas Draca, Italy's X-Factor

Thomas Draca's journey to the Italian national team is a global odyssey, spanning multiple continents and shaped by high-profile mentorships. The 25-year-old fast bowler was born in Sydney to an Italian mother and a Yugoslavian father. His Italian roots trace back to Bellosguardo, a small village near Naples where his mother was born. His entry into serious cricket was uniquely sparked by a connection between his father, a wine connoisseur, and legendary Australian fast bowler Dennis Lillee. Lillee, whom Draca calls "Uncle," became his mentor and even gifted Draca his personal World Series gold chain for his 21st birthday, which Draca intends to wear during the World Cup.

The UK Breakthrough and Global T20 Circuit

Draca’s professional path accelerated after he moved to the UK in 2022 on a scholarship to Exeter University. His performance for the university, specifically taking the wickets of Tom Banton and James Rew in a match against Somerset’s first-XI, caught the attention of T20 scouts. This led to a whirlwind series of opportunities.

• The right-arm pacer joined the Brampton Wolves in the Global T20 Canada, where he was the team's highest wicket-taker.

• In Canada, David Warner gave him the confidence to "let it effing rip," which helped him transition to the professional stage.

  His success led to a reserve spot with MI Emirates in the ILT20, where he learned from Kieron Pollard and Nicholas Pooran, and eventually a place on the IPL 2025 auction longlist.

• He trained with Carlos Brathwaite, whom he considers a close mentor, even following a rigorous "5 a.m. wake-up" training routine in Barbados.

Representing Italy

Despite his global travels and the fact that he does not speak Italian, Draca is now the spearhead of Italy's pace attack for their first-ever T20 World Cup. He views his participation as a way to leave a legacy for Italian cricket, hoping that the team's performance will help secure better facilities and funding for future generations in Italy. While he primarily speaks English, he participates in the team's culture by joining in the spirit of their team songs with "a lot of shouting" and passion.

Squad

Wayne Madsen (c), Marcus Campopiano, Gian Piero Meade, Zain Ali, Ali Hasan, Crishan Jorge Kalugamage, Harry Manenti, Anthony Mosca, Justin Mosca, Syed Naqvi, Benjamin Manenti, Jaspreet Singh, JJ Smuts, Grant Stewart, Thomas Draca.

Can Italy upset any of the big teams? All eyes will be on Thomas Draca.