T20 World Cup 2026: Italy Cricket in controversy after creating history, female player made serious allegations of sexual exploitation

ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 was historic for Italy cricket. For the first time, Italy’s men’s team became a part of this big tournament and caught everyone’s attention with its performance. Although the team could not make it to the Super-8, their spirit on the field won the hearts of cricket lovers. Meanwhile, a controversy during the tournament shook Italian cricket.

Serious allegations against female cricketer

According to media reports, Prabath Aikneligoda has been accused of sexual harassment. She served as coordinator of women’s cricket in the Federazione Cricket Italiana (FCRI). It is alleged that he misbehaved with a player of the Italy women’s team and touched her inappropriately. The identity of the victim player has been kept confidential.

The complaint was filed in March 2025

It is being told that a complaint was lodged with the police in this matter in March 2025, after which the investigation started in November. Aikneligoda was also interrogated in December. FCRI has issued a statement saying that the safety and transparency of players is their priority. At the same time, Aikneligoda’s lawyer has termed all the allegations as baseless. The Italian Cricket Board had suspended him, however despite this he was seen with the team during the recent T20 World Cup 2026.

Italy created history

Amidst controversies, Italy’s men’s team created history by qualifying for the T20 World Cup for the first time. In Group C, the team played four matches and registered one win. On 12 February 2026, Italy achieved its first win in the T20 World Cup by defeating Nepal national cricket team by 10 wickets. Even though Italy could not reach the further rounds, their performance proved that they have the ability to make a mark on the international stage. At the same time, now everyone’s eyes are on the investigation of this controversial case and its results.