19 February,2026 01:46 PM IST | Kolkata | PTI
West Indies` captain Shai Hope plays a shot during the ICC Men`s T20 World Cup 2026. Pic/PTI
Skipper Shai Hope struck a fluent 75 but first-timers Italy pulled things back superbly with a disciplined bowling effort to restrict two-time champions West Indies to 165 for six in their final group league fixture of the T20 World Cup here on Thursday.
On a batting-friendly surface where England's 200-plus total was nearly chased down in the previous game, the target of 166 looked underwhelming at the innings break as Italy's spinners led by Ben Manenti (2/37) and Crishan Kalugamage (2/25) choked the run flow in the back end.
It would have been worse for the Windies had Grant Stewart not leaked 19 runs in the penultimate over, with Sherfane Rutherford (24 not out from 15 balls) and Matthew Forde (16 not out; 8b) propping up the total.
Hope batted effortlessly, bringing up a 28-ball fifty while striking four sixes and six fours in a 46-ball knock, but Roston Chase's sluggish 24 off 25 balls (2x4) hurt the momentum.
It dragged the Windies innings down, and even as Hope got boundaries at will, Chase looked tentative, and struggled to rotate the strike before holing out to deep forward square.
The pressure mounted with two quick wickets -- Chase and Rovman Powell (9) -- as experienced off-spinner Manenti and Sri Lanka-origin leg-spinner Crishan Kalugamage turned the tide in Italy's favour.
Manenti struck in successive overs, including taking the key wicket of Powell, while Kalugamage delivered the decisive blow by cleaning up Hope with a delivery that was sliding in, even as the batter left his stumps exposed.
The leg-spinner also removed Jason Holder (9) to tighten Italy's grip.
JJ Smuts was tidy with the new ball, conceding just 27 runs in his four overs without success, as Italy's disciplined attack denied West Indies their customary late surge.
Despite Hope's brilliance and a 64-run stand with Chase, West Indies faltered in the final 10 overs.
Opting to bowl, Italy struck with left-arm seamer Ali Hasan removing Brandon King (4) with his first ball.
But Hope, fresh from an unbeaten 61 against Nepal, counterattacked in style drilling a wide half-volley from fast bowler Thomas Draca through extra-cover.
Hasan then erred in line as Hope crashed two more fours through the off side before pulling him for a six over square leg in a 14-run over.
However, Draca hit back to remove the in-form Shimron Hetmyer (1).
The pacer drew an outside edge as Hetmyer sliced a catch to short third -- his first single-digit score of the tournament -- after knocks of 64, 23 and 46 not out.
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