In a Group C game in Kolkata, West Indies were kept to a competitive 165/6 in 20 overs. After that for the West Indies to gain an upper hand in the contest, West Indies needed early wickets and they stood up to the occasion. Matthew Forde has struck twice while Akeal Hosein has managed to get one as Italy are reeling already and have a job in hand against West Indies if they want to create an upset.
Matthew Forde strikes twice as West Indies have 3 inside the powerplay.Â
Chasing 166 for an improbable win, the Mosca brothers Justin and Anthony opened the batting for Italy while Akeal Hosein had ball in hand for West Indies. Anthony got a lifeline as the edge was achieved and Hope put it down as a tough chance went down there. Anthony hit a boundary as he shuffled across and swept it fine past the right of the man at short fine leg for a boundary. Matthew Forde came to bowl the second over of the innings. Forde gifted 5 wides as a gift to the batting side. Forde hit back as he got rid of Justin for 2 off 5 balls.
Forde bowled a good length delivery just outside the off-stump that got to nip back off the pitch. Justin hung back and looked to cut it but got cramped for room as it kept coming back with the angle. He missed and saw the ball hit the top of the off-stump. Syed Naqvi came out to bat next.
Akeal Hosein continued as Anthony slog swept the ball over midwicket for the maximum. Anthony went again as slogged across the line to clear deep midwicket for the maximum. But the bowler had the last laugh as he removed Anthony for 19 off 12 balls with one four and 2 sixes to his name. Hosein slowed it up around leg stump. Mosca shuffled across the stumps and got low to sweep over short fine leg but failed to get the required elevation. He hit it straight to Shamar Joseph who took the catch.
JJ Smuts came to the crease next. Forde continued as Smuts sat back and pulled it through midwicket region for a boundary. Jason Holder came into the attack next. Holder bowled a tight first over. Forde came and bowled the last over of powerplay. He hit Naqvi on the helmet and a concussion test was done on him with Italy on 31/2 in 5.1 overs when Drinks were called onto the field.
Forde ultimately dismissed Naqvi for 6 off 10 balls. Forde bowled an away swinger on a good length outside the off-stump. Naqvi threw his hands at it looking to lift it over mid-off but got it right off the toe end of the bat. He skied it and Shamar from the circle back pedalled and took a fine catch with a reverse cup. Harry Manenti came out to bat next. Italy were 37/3 in 6 overs at the end of the powerplay with Smuts unbeaten on 4 off 8 balls and Harry unbeaten on 0 off 1 ball.
West Indies gets another as they tighten the screws on Italy.Â
Jason Holder came onto bowl post the powerplay as Harry took him on as he whipped the ball square of the wicket to clear square leg for the maximum. Holder gifted away 4 leg byes to the batting side as well. Gudakesh Motie came into the attack next. The 50 came up for Italy in 7.1 overs. Shamar Joseph came into the attack next. Joseph struck for the West Indies as he removed Harry for 8 off 10 balls with a maximum to his name. Ben Manenti came out to bat next.
Motie continued and bowled a good solid 10th over. Italy were 61/4 in 10 overs with Smuts unbeaten on 13 off 20 balls while Ben was unbeaten on 1 off 3 balls. Italy now needed 105 runs off 60 balls with 6 wickets in hand.
What Lies Ahead.
So, West Indies have done well to make early inroads and put the pressure on Italy. Taking 3 wickets in powerplay and 4 in total has ,meant Italy with a lot of hard work to do to upstage West Indies. Anything can still happen in this game but West Indies still the favourites. Let’s see how things pan out from here.
Also Read: ICC T20 WC 2026: Shai Hope’s Masterful 75 Enables West Indies To Post Fighting 165/6.