Bombshell WhatsApp messages reveal reason Joe Burns parted ways with Italian cricket ahead of World Cup

A request for support deemed “above the standards of Italian cricket” ultimately ended the World Cup fairytale of former Australian opener turned Italian captain Joe Burns. Burns played 23 Tests for Australia before steering Italy to its maiden World Cup qualification earlier this year. He had inspired the nation, playing some of his best cricket during a difficult period after the tragic loss of his brother Dominic in early 2024. The 36-year-old was on Wednesday in a shock announcement replaced as captain and left out of the squad. Italian cricket provided an ambiguous statement, suggesting it and Burns failed to reach a contract agreement. But, in messages exclusively seen by this masthead, Burns told his teammates he parted ways with Italian cricket after asking it to address off-field principles. “In my experience, we needed to address systems, processes, communication and integrity behind the scenes to give us the best chance on the field,” Burns wrote to his teammates on November 12. “Advocacy can be tough, but that’s the weight of responsibility. “Their response was that my standards were above the standards of Italian cricket. “Since then, a lot of inaccurate and disparaging information has been circulated about me, and used as an excuse for poor operations. “The reality of events has been misrepresented and, as a result, many have been misinformed — even if not intentionally. “Please know my intentions have always been to look after you boys like brothers and to help us become the best team we can be.” Italian head of cricket Marco Mastrorocco told ESPNCricinfo Burns was a “person of high integrity”. In the messages Burns went on to address the contract negotiations, including how he knocked back extra money to lead the side. “Bizarrely, the Federation is now saying this is because I didn’t agree to the WC (World Cup)/Nov proposal,” Burns continued. “To be clear – I accepted their proposal on three separate occasions, which was for less payment than pre-qualifying. “The WC component was to follow MOU terms. I had also previously declined a proposed captain’s bonus because I didn’t think that role should be profited from. “For months, I’ve wanted to focus on the cricket. I’ve got pages of notes on roles, strategy and training ideas that I was keen to get stuck into with you all, but the inefficiencies had gone on too long.” Burns finished the message by thanking his teammates for their support during a difficult 2024 and offered to provide any future guidance. “And a special thank you to the Rome 2024 group — the support, connection and purpose we shared helped me and my family through a really tough time, more than you guys realise,” he said. Burns declined to comment on Thursday morning. An official statement from the Italian Cricket Federation said: “The Federation can confirm Joe Burns will not be selected as part of Italy’s squad for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. ”Although preliminary exchanges of availability took place in recent weeks, a full agreement was never reached and, consequently, a formal contract was not signed. “At the same time, internal technical and organisational evaluations led to the selection of Wayne Madsen as captain. ”This decision responds to the need to ensure stability, harmony, and continuity for the team, elements deemed to be priorities over short-term objectives. “These considerations were made solely in the interest of the national team’s preparation and serenity ahead of this historic event. ”The Federation wishes to place on record its sincere thanks to Joe Burns for his service to Italian cricket, both as a player and as captain.”