(Reuters) -Cricket minnows Italy are on the cusp of sealing their first appearance at the Twenty20 World Cup after stunning Scotland in the European qualifying tournament on Wednesday.
Their 12-run victory in Voorburg, the Netherlands, kept Italy top of the Europe Regional Final standings and in pole position for the 20-overs showpiece to be held in India and Sri Lanka next year.
A win over the Dutch, who are second in the standings, in their final match on Friday would seal their place but Italy's superior net run rate means even a narrow loss could send them through if other results go their way.
"I am really proud of the boys for this moment," said captain Joe Burns, who played 23 tests for Australia before switching allegiance to Italy last year.
"Hopefully this is the stepping stone for a lot to come. It's a very emotional group at the moment. Being on the verge of a World Cup? It's very surreal."
With the top two in the standings to advance, Scotland can still qualify but need a big win against Jersey on Friday and an Italy victory against the Dutch.
"A lot of the credit has to go to Italy, who outskilled us with the ball in those conditions," Scotland captain Richie Berrington said.
"Obviously today's a tough one, but it's important we learn what we can from this game. We will be looking to come back strong.
"We have to focus on coming back on Friday and looking to win that game then the rest takes care of itself."
(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; editing by Peter Rutherford)
