West Indies secured a dominant 42-run win over Italy after Shai Hope’s 75 and Shamar Joseph’s four-wicket haul powered a clinical all-round performance.
West Indies registered a commanding 42-run victory over Italy in the 37th Match, Group C of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on February 19.
Batting first, West Indies posted a competitive 165/6 in their allotted 20 overs. The innings began on a shaky note as Brandon King fell for 4 in the second over, followed by Shimron Hetmyer, who managed just 1. However, captain Shai Hope anchored the innings with a fluent 75 off 46 balls, striking six fours and four sixes at a strike rate of 163.04. He stitched key partnerships to stabilise the innings after early setbacks.
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Roston Chase contributed 24 off 25 balls, while Rovman Powell added a quick 9. After Hope’s dismissal in the 16th over, Sherfane Rutherford (24* off 15) and Matthew Forde (16* off 8) provided the late flourish to push the total beyond 160.
For Italy, Ben Manenti (2/37) and Crishan Kalugamage (2/25) were the most successful bowlers, while Ali Hasan and Thomas Draca picked up a wicket each.
Italy Struggled To Gain Momentum
Chasing 166, Italy struggled to build momentum and were bowled out for 123 in 18 overs. Justin Mosca fell early for 2, and despite Anthony Mosca’s brisk 19 and JJ Smuts’ 24, Italy failed to form any substantial partnerships. Ben Manenti tried to counterattack with 26 off 21 balls, but wickets kept tumbling at regular intervals.
West Indies’ bowling unit delivered a disciplined performance. Shamar Joseph led the charge with figures of 4/30 in four overs, dismantling the lower order. Matthew Forde impressed with 3/19, while Gudakesh Motie claimed 2/24. Akeal Hosein also chipped in with a wicket. Italy were reduced to 115/7 by the 16th over and eventually folded for 123, falling well short of the target.
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