Mumbai: Two associate sides Nepal and Italy will be eager to open their account in Group ‘C’ when they clash in their second match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday.

Nepal suffered a narrow four-run defeat against England in their opening fixture on Sunday, while Italy endured a heavy 73-run loss to Scotland.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference on Tuesday, Nepal captain Rohit Paudel said his team is prepared to handle pressure heading into the crucial encounter.

“When you are playing a World Cup game, pressure is obvious,” Rohit told reporters at the Wankhede Stadium. “Everyone back home in Nepal wants us to win. The team that handles pressure better will win the game. Italy are a good team and we cannot take anyone lightly. Planning well and executing in crunch situations will be crucial.”

Italy coach John Davison also expressed confidence ahead of the match on Wednesday.

“We have had great games and results before beginning our T20 World Cup campaign,” Davison said. “When we face Nepal, we will be looking for a win. It matters a lot for us.”

The rankings and previous records favour Nepal. The South Asian side are ranked 16th in the T20 International standings, while Italy sit at 27th.

Although the two teams have never met in the T20 format, they have faced each other three times in 50-over cricket, with Nepal winning all three encounters. Their last meeting came during the 2013 ICC World Cricket League Division 3 in Bermuda, where Nepal secured an eight-wicket victory.

Italy captain Wayne Madsen, who sustained a shoulder injury during the match against Scotland, said the broader objective remains the growth of cricket in Italy. It is yet to be confirmed whether he will feature against Nepal.

Despite the defeat to Scotland, Italy had enjoyed morale-boosting performances in the warm-up matches, defeating the UAE by 112 runs and Canada by 10 runs.

Asked about Italy’s preparations, Davison pointed to their win over the UAE.

“We defeated the UAE convincingly in the warm-up. The UAE rank higher than Nepal in T20Is, so we are confident,” he said.

However, the latest T20I rankings released three days ago place the UAE in 17th position — one spot behind Nepal.

Davison also said his team is looking forward to playing in front of a large Nepali crowd.

“The Nepali fans are passionate; we saw that against England,” he said. “We will embrace the atmosphere, enjoy the occasion and focus on the game.”

“In T20 cricket, one good day from a couple of players can be enough,” Davison added. “We hope that day comes against Nepal.”