Captain of West Indies Shai Hope led from the front and scored a masterful 75 runs while the other batters struggled out there in the middle. Cameos from Sherfane Rutherford and Matthew Forde also helped West Indies post a competitive 165/6 in 20 overs. It’s a good score but not winning score yet. The Italians bowled well with Kalugamage picking up 2/25 being the pick of the bowlers for them. This game is up for grabs now.
Italy strike twice to keep West Indies in check inside the powerplay.Â
Put into bat first, Brandon King and captain Shai Hope opened the batting for West Indies while JJ Smuts opened the bowling for Italy. Smuts bowled a good first over. Ali Hasan shared the new ball from the other end. Hasan struck first ball as he dismissed King for 4 off 6 balls as he got the inside edge to the keeper. The umpire gave it NOT OUT but the decision was changed to OUT thanks to great usage of DRS. Shimron Hetmyer came out to bat next and got off the mark as well.
Thomas Draca came into the attack next as Hope drove him through covers for a boundary. Hope was in his elements now as he first thrashed him over extra cover for a boundary. Ali Hasan continued as Hope caressed the ball through the covers for a boundary. Hope was now in the zone as he pressed forward and pumped it over extra covers for a boundary and then got inside the line and helped it over long leg for the maximum.
Draca continued and he got rid of Hetmyer for 1 off 4 balls as Smuts took a good catch at short third man when the edge was found from the batter. Roston Chase came out to bat next and got off the mark as well. Hope was dealing in boundaries as he cut the short and wide ball through the point region for a boundary at deep backward point region. Hope then flicked the ball through midwicket for a boundary. Hope managed to clip it away through midwicket region for a triple as the ball was pulled back in play.
Grant Stewart came to bowl the last over of powerplay and he bowled a good first over as West Indies reached 48/2 in 6 overs with Hope unbeaten on 39 off 22 balls and Chase unbeaten on 3 off 4 balls. Drinks was taken on the field at this stage.
Shai Hope’s half-century lifts West Indies but Italy keep plugging away in middle overs.Â
Ben Manenti came into the attack post the powerplay as Hope took him on and muscled it over deep extra cover for the maximum as the 50 came up for West Indies in 6.2 overs. JJ Smuts returned to the bowling crease as Hope reached his fifty in 28 balls. Crishan Kalugamage came into the attack next. He bowled a solid first over. Smuts continued as Chase broke the shackles by lofting the ball over extra cover for a boundary. West Indies were 76/2 in 10 overs.
Kalugamage continued as Hope once again parked his front leg and went straight down the ground for the maximum. Grant Stewart returned to the attack as Chase got a lifeline with Justin Mosca dropping the catch in the deep. Ben Manenti came back into the attack as Chase lofted the ball over the bowler’s head for a boundary past mid-off. Manenti hit back and got rid of Chase for 24 off 25 balls with 2 fours to his name as Anthony Mosca made no mistake at deep backward square leg.
Rovman Powell came out to bat next and got off the mark. Smuts continued as Hope went big by hammering it down the ground for the maximum as the 100 came up for West Indies in 13.5 overs. Drinks was taken with West Indies at 106/3 in 14 overs. Manenti continued after the break as Powell clobbered the ball over deep backward square leg for the maximum. Manenti hit back and got rid of Powell for 9 off 9 balls with one six to his name as Kalugamage took the catch in the deep.
Sherfane Rutherford came out to bat next and got off the mark as well. West Indies reached 115/4 in 15 overs with Hope unbeaten on 75 off 45 balls and Rutherford unbeaten on 1 off 1 ball.
Shai Hope Falls as Italy hangs in there to restrict West Indies to 165/6.Â
Crishan Kalugamage came back into the attack and removed the big man as he clean bowled Shai Hope for 75 off 46 balls with 6 fours and 4 sixes to his name as a good innings comes to an end. Jason Holder came out to bat next and got off the mark as well. Ben Manenti came back into the attack as Rutherford took him on and launched it over the bowler’s head for the maximum. Rutherford then got an outside edge as the ball went away to the backward point fence.
Kalugamage continued and dropped a tough return catch of Holder. Holder went big as he stood tall and smoked the ball over midwicket for the maximum. Kalugamage hit back and got rid of Holder for 9 off 7 balls with one six to his name as he was holed out at long-on. Matthew Forde came out to bat next and got off the mark next. Grant Stewart came to bowl the 19th over.
Forde hit him straight down the ground for a boundary. Rutherford got into the act as he hit the juicy full toss behind square for a boundary. Forde once again hit a boundary past the fine leg region for a boundary. The 150 came up for West Indies in 18.5 overs. Forde showed innovation as he scooped the ball over the keeper for a boundary. Ali Hasan came to bowl the last over of the innings.
He bowled a good last over as West Indies finished with 165/6 in 20 overs with Rutherford unbeaten on 24 off 15 balls with 2 fours and one six to his name while Forde was unbeaten on 16 off 8 balls with 3 fours to his name. 3 extras given by the fielding side.
Crishan Kalugamage was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 2/25 in 4 overs. Ben Manenti finished with 2/37 in 4 overs. Thomas Draca finished with 1/22 in 2 overs. Ali Hasan finished with 1/24 in 3 overs. JJ Smuts bowled 4 overs for 27 runs. Grant Stewart bowled 3 overs for 30 runs. Italy needed now 166 runs to win for a monumental win.
Who’s Winning, Italy or West Indies?Â
West Indies thanks to their captain and some cameos in the end have got a competitive score on the board. But credit to Italy for hanging in there and keeping the strong West Indies team under 170 runs. This match can go either way but West Indies with their experienced bowling can defend this score. But Italy have a chance to create history if luck goes their way. Let’s see how the chase unfolds from here.
Also Read:Â ICC T20 WC 2026: Italy Begin Well After Opting To Chase.