As their national anthem played at Eden Gardens, members of Italy's travelling contingent stood scattered around the stands - family members, officials, former players - singing along.



Among them was Francis Alphonsus Jayarajah, Italy's first-ever men's captain, present to witness a moment that had taken decades to arrive. For many in the squad, it followed a sleepless Sunday night, the reality of a Monday-morning World Cup game settling in long before dawn.



They won the toss, decided to bowl, and their captain, Wayne Madse,n wanted to lead from the front in the fielding effort. He gave everything trying to stop a George Munsey pull at midwicket, but in doing so, fell awkwardly enough to dislocate his shoulder. As the medical team rushed to him, it became clear that the 42-year-old was out of the game and, potentially, the tournament. Harry Manenti took over as captain.



The mood turned dour. Chances began to go down, and with them went opportunities for Italy to shift momentum as Munsey went on to score 84. By the time Grant Stewart broke through in the 14th over to take Italy's first-ever World Cup wicket, the departing Munsey had added 126 with Michael Jones.



Head coach John Davison acknowledged how quickly things began to slip.



"The captain going down like that at the start of the game was a tough one for us," Davison said. "Things weren't really going our way either as we got a lot of edges, but we conceded six or seven boundaries on outside edges alone."



As Scotland rode on Munsey's start, Italy struggled to stop the flow of runs. Legspinner Crishan Kalugamage was allowed to bowl just two dots in his three overs, Stewart's medium-pace sat up nicely on a flat batting track, and fast bowler Thomas Draca missed his lengths in the 20th over, conceding 22 runs in five balls to Michael Leask as Scotland made 207 for 4.



Then, with Madsen unable to bat, Italy lost opener Justin Mosca to a first-ball duck. There was a little bit of resistance with JJ Smuts scoring an 11-ball 22, Harry Manenti a 25-ball 37 and Ben Manenti a 31-ball 52, but Italy's last five could add just seven runs among them. Eventually, they went down by 73 runs, all out in the 17th over.



"I don't think it's a reality check for us," Davison said. "Our biggest challenge was always going to be to bring our best game to the occasion. And I think the occasion may have gotten a little bit big on us.



"There are some guys there who gave the game a good shake. Others probably need to work on the mental side of the game to enable their skill side to show."



Ben Manenti, who made history as Italy's first T20 World Cup half-centurion, said the result had left the team disappointed. Speaking to reporters after the game, he said he would swap his fifty for a duck if that could have led to an Italy victory.



"We've been preparing for this moment for six to eight months, but obviously losing the captain so early doesn't help," Ben Manenti said. "That throws a spanner in the work,s and obviously, ly we're one batter less in that chase as well and a high-quality batter in that.



"But that's cricket. I would have loved to have gone on and got 70 or 80 and put us in a position to win the game. Scotland were too good to, day and they were relentless with their pressure on us with bat and ball."



Italy still have six points up for grabs, although their games only get tougher from here. They have never played Nepal, a side not only familiar with the conditions at Wankhede Stadium but also one with a strong, vocal travelling support. And then the two Test teams - West Indies and England.



Ben Manenti said Nepal's effort against England and the Associate teams' overall showing in matches against Full Members had given Italy the belief that victory is just around the corner.



"We'll look at each game as it comes," Ben Manenti said. "We saw Nepal last night. They are obviously an amazing outfit. And I think we've seen since the start of the World Cup that this bracket of Associate cricket and Test nations is not as big a gap as everyone thinks.



"The games have been amazing so far, and everyone's given some really good nations a run for their money in close ones. Disappointing that we didn't put our best foot forward today because we believe we're in the same bracket as Scotland. But yeah, a big opportunity for the next three games, and we want to capitalise on that."



The schedule allows Italy little time to dwell. They visit the Italian Consulate in Kolkata on Monday evening and fly to Mumbai on Tuesday. They have had a tough initiation, but it has offered them a clear sense of the level they are now trying to match.