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Skipper Shai Hope (75, 46b, 6x4, 4x6) recovered a cogwheel betwixt timing and intent to steer West Indies to 165 for six, mounting up a 42-run triumph implicit Italy successful their past Group-C lucifer of the ongoing T20 World Cup astatine the Eden Gardens present connected Thursday.
His innings gathered gait without ever looking similar it was trying to. It didn’t denote itself; it revealed itself, implicit by over. It was T20 batting with an accent — classical strokes, spoken quickly, fluently, and with nary wasted syllables. Power arrived not arsenic a flex but arsenic a consequence.
Italy’s Thomas Draca celebrates aft taking the wicket of Shimron Hetmyer of the West Indies successful the Men’s T20 World Cup astatine the Eden Garden successful Kolkata connected Thursday, 19 February, 2026. | Photo Credit: RITURAJ KONWAR
He expressed his people done covers, caressing, blasting, and lofting 4 fours and a six there. The bowlers kept flirting with that enactment extracurricular off, and the bat kept responding with the aforesaid calm verdict.
Meanwhile, his teammates either struggled to statesman oregon to endure. Brandon King (4) and Shimron Hetmyer (1) fell aboriginal to the pacers, earlier the spinners took over.
Roston Chase made a scratchy 24 disconnected 25 balls earlier hacking crossed the enactment and skying an extracurricular borderline disconnected Ben Manenti. Rovman Powell (9) followed soon after, holing retired to heavy backward quadrate conscionable aft launching a six there, besides disconnected Manenti.
West Indies’s Shamar Joseph celebrates aft taking 4 wickets against Italy successful the Men’s T20 World Cup astatine the Eden Garden successful Kolkata connected Thursday, February 19, 2026. | Photo Credit: RITURAJ KONWAR
West Indies was squeezed for flourish astatine the decease arsenic leg-spinner Crishan Kalugamage struck twice. Hope, looking to slog sweep, was cleaned up by a googly, earlier Jason Holder (9) holed retired to long-on. Sherfane Rutherford (24 n.o.) accounted for astir fractional the runs astatine the death, striking 2 fours and a six.
Italy’s pursuit ne'er settled into thing durable. Early intent gave mode to caution arsenic wickets fell and the asking complaint climbed beyond comfort. Pacers Shamar Joseph (four for 30) and Matthew Forde (three for 19) ensured that Italy fell good abbreviated of the target.
Italy tin instrumentality bosom from its bowling and fielding successful the contest. As for its wide effort successful the campaign, it volition beryllium acknowledged with a reception from the Italian Senate, arsenic revealed by caput manager John Davison earlier the match.
The scores: West Indies 165/6 successful 20 overs (Shai Hope 75, Ben Manenti 2/37, Crishan Kalugamage 2/25) bt Italy 123 successful 18 overs (Matthew Forde 3/19, Gudakesh Motie 2/24, Shamar Joseph 4/30); Toss: Italy. PoM: Hope. West Indies won by 42 runs.
