Italy are newcomers to the T20 World Cup, a nation where cricket is still nascent and only beginning to spread its roots. Historically, and undoubtedly, football has ruled the sporting imagination of the country - four FIFA World Cup titles placing them second only to Brazil's five. Now, set to play their first match in India's football capital, Kolkata, more than 7200 kilometres from the streets of Rome, Italy's cricket captain Wayne Madsen is hoping to begin something new, and leave behind a different kind of legacy.

Slowly but surely, the presence of Italy at a cricketing mega event is starting to register back home. Coverage has begun to trickle in, and with it, curiosity. "I know there have been some articles in local papers," skipper Madsen said. "So it's starting to get out the message that we're here at the World Cup and it's going to be our first. It's obviously going to be a big moment for cricket in Italy and for growing the game."

The opportunity, Madsen believes, extends beyond results alone. There is hope that the tournament can spark interest not just within Italy. "We want as much support as possible from people in Italy but [also] from around the world. We're going into this tournament to take the opportunity, and we're going to give it a go and play some enjoyable cricket...we want to leave a legacy that cricket develops in the country."

That sense of purpose is rooted in the realities of Italian cricket, which remains in its early stages of development. Infrastructure is limited, but the exposure that comes with a World Cup, Madsen feels, can act as a catalyst. "I believe that this [exposure] will enhance the game and the growth of the game within the country. In terms of the number of clubs, I know we've got over 100 clubs in the country. Yes, we don't have a turf pitch yet and that's obviously one of the focuses of the federation going forward is to try and do that so that we can have international cricket in the country."

Italy's squad reflects the game's diverse pathways into the country, with players of Australian, South African and South Asian descent alongside those who have grown up locally. Head coach John Davison believes that blend is slowly knitting itself into a shared identity. "The guys who have grown up in Italy speak Italian as their first language," said Davison. "And then you've got guys who are based elsewhere, some of them speak very good Italian... But there's other guys who are developing it, and they say, particularly for the players who want to play long term and really build the Italian culture, they're making an effort."

On the field, that cohesion will be tested quickly. Italy open their campaign against Scotland on Tuesday, a familiar opponent, before stepping into less-charted territory against the rest of their group. Davison acknowledged both the comfort and the challenge that lies ahead. "We know the Scottish guys pretty well from having played them quite a bit, but the other teams we haven't played yet, Nepal and neither England or West Indies, so those are new games for us."

As debutants, Italy remain something of an unknown quantity. While there is experience in the ranks - with players like Madsen, Thomas Draca, JJ Smuts and the Manenti brothers bringing exposure from franchise cricket - the captain believes there is more beneath the surface. "Guys have played in franchise tournaments around the world. But equally, we've got young players who people wouldn't have seen. So a little bit of X-factor in that regard.

"We've got what we believe is a pretty good batting unit with quite a lot of experience. And we've got three really good spinners. Our seam attack as well, we've got some experience behind that. So we feel that we're well covered in terms of what we have."

Preparation for the World Cup has been thorough. Italy spent a couple of weeks training in Chennai after a camp in Dubai, and even capped off their build-up with a win over Ireland in the third T20I of a three-match series. The experience was further enriched by a meeting with Indian cricket legend Rahul Dravid. As the tournament finally got underway on Saturday, Madsen admitted the magnitude of the moment was beginning to sink in - even as he urged his players to embrace it. "That realness is starting to sink in. There'll be a few nerves around, which is going to be normal. The opportunity for us as players to create something special is what our focus is on."

Fittingly, as Italy's cricketers prepare to step onto the global stage, the country's football team is also gearing up for its own World Cup journey, with qualifiers beginning later this year. Madsen hopes the two paths can intersect in spirit. "Hopefully we can inspire the football team onto a World Cup as well. That would be quite nice if we can perform to a level that inspires them to get to the World Cup," he said.