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- West Indies vs Italy Highlights, T20 World Cup 2026: West Indies beat Italy by 42 runs in Kolkata
West Indies vs Italy Highlights, T20 World Cup 2026: West Indies beat Italy by 42 runs in Kolkata
Under Darren Sammy’s guidance, West Indies have shown signs of peaking. Skipper Shai Hope rediscovered form with a fluent unbeaten 61 against Nepal, while Shimron Hetmyer has delivered solidity and power in the middle order. Sherfane Rutherford has emerged as a key finisher, highlighted by a blistering unbeaten 76 against England, showcasing his ability to dominate at the death.
The bowling unit has also looked balanced, with Matthew Forde impressing with his economy and Roston Chase and Gudakesh Motie providing control in the middle overs. With tough Super Eights fixtures against Zimbabwe, South Africa and India ahead, West Indies will be keen to build confidence at Eden Gardens, a venue that holds fond memories for the team.
For Italy, already eliminated, the match represents a chance to bow out with pride in their debut World Cup campaign. The Mosca brothers have been influential at the top, setting a record for the highest T20 World Cup partnership by siblings. Ben Manenti has been in excellent form, while Harry Manenti has led the side admirably in Wayne Madsen’s absence following his injury.
Despite being newcomers, Italy have shown fighting spirit, including a dominant win over Nepal and a strong chase against England. They will hope to end their campaign with a statement performance, even if only for the record books.
Grant Stewart to Roston Chase, Uppish but safe! Fuller in length this time, on off, holds its line. Roston Chase looks to flick it across the line but gets a leading edge. It flies in the air but lands well short of deep third who grabs it on the bounce. They cross.
Grant Stewart to Roston Chase, Back of a length and on off, Roston Chase steers it towards point. He wants the run but is sent back by his partner.
Grant Stewart to Shai Hope, A slower delivery, full and on middle, Shai Hope taps it towards cover for another run.
Grant Stewart to Roston Chase, Good length and on off, Roston Chase tries to play away from his body and gets an inside edge onto his pads as the ball rolls towards point. They cross.
Grant Stewart to Shai Hope, On a length and around leg, Shai Hope flicks it to deep square leg for a single.
- Shai Hope 36 (19)
- Roston Chase 1 (1)
Thomas Draca to Shai Hope, Fullish and on middle, shaping into the legs again. Shai Hope clips it away nicely through mid-wicket. The fielder from deep square leg runs a long way to his left and dives to push the ball back inside towards the incoming fielder from mid-wicket. Three taken.
Thomas Draca to Shai Hope, Much better! Hard length and on off, jags back in sharply. Shai Hope has no room to work with and only manages to pat it down on the pitch.
Thomas Draca to Shai Hope, FOUR! Two in two! Thomas Draca tries to correct his line but overcompensates and bowls this fuller, angling into the pads. Shai Hope brings his wrists into play and flicks it with good timing through mid-wicket for another boundary.
Thomas Draca to Shai Hope, FOUR! There is no stopping that! Short of a length but way outside off. Shai Hope gets the chance to free his arms and crunches it through point. There is a fielder in the deep, but the ball races across the turf for four runs.
Thomas Draca to Roston Chase, Back of a length and around off, Roston Chase steers it away towards point for a single.
Italy have their second wicket. In walks Roston Chase.
Thomas Draca to Shimron Hetmyer, OUT! EDGED AND GONE! Thomas Draca gets the big fish here. He bowls the off-cutter, serves this full and around off. This one grips onto the surface and angles away too. Shimron Hetmyer looks to go over covers but gets a thick outside edge that flies wide of fly slip, where JJ Smuts flings himself to his right to grab a fantastic catch. West Indies are 31/2 now.
Thomas Draca to continue. He will be keen to make amends after an expensive first over.
- Shai Hope 25 (15)
- Shimron Hetmyer 1 (3)
Ali Hasan to Shai Hope, SIX! BANG! Shai Hope goes big now! Ali Hasan straightens the line but a bit too much. He bangs this into the pitch, down the leg side. Hope gets inside the line of it and pulls it over the deep backward square leg fence for a biggie. 14 runs off the over!
Ali Hasan to Shai Hope, FOUR! Cracking stroke! This is full again and outside off, asking to be hit. Shai Hope does not miss out. He swings through the line and lofts it over extra covers for another boundary.
Ali Hasan to Shai Hope, Short of a length and around off, angling further away, Shai Hope slashes at it but misses.
Ali Hasan to Shai Hope, Nicely bowled! Ali Hasan lands this on a good length and on middle, jags back in sharply. Shai Hope gets cramped up for room and just keeps it out on the pitch, losing his bottom hand as well.
Ali Hasan to Shai Hope, Pitched up and on off, Shai Hope drives it firmly but straight to short cover.
Ali Hasan to Shai Hope, FOUR! Beautifully played! Fuller and wide outside off. Shai Hope extends his arms to get under it and creams it through covers for his third boundary.
- Shimron Hetmyer 1 (3)
- Shai Hope 11 (9)
Thomas Draca to Shimron Hetmyer, Falls short! Pitched up and on middle, Shimron Hetmyer does not get elevation on his lofted shot and the ball drops in front of mid on, going on the bounce to the fielder.
Thomas Draca to Shimron Hetmyer, WIDE! Bangs in a bouncer but just down the leg side, Shimron Hetmyer swivels and looks to hook but fails to connect. Called a wide.
Thomas Draca to Shai Hope, A bit of a mix-up, but no harm done! Hard length and around off, Shai Hope tries to guide it away but gets a bottom edge behind towards the keeper. Shimron Hetmyer calls him for the run, but he responds a bit late. Gian-Piero Meade, the keeper, collects the ball and has a shy at the bowler's end but misses. Hope was in anyway.
Thomas Draca to Shai Hope, FOUR! Up and over! Fuller in length and just outside off. Shai Hope accepts the width on offer. He gets his hands through the shot and smacks it over extra cover for another boundary.
Thomas Draca to Shai Hope, Short of a length and outside off, Shai Hope looks to cut it away but ends up chopping it on the off side.
Thomas Draca to Shai Hope, Good comeback from the bowler! This is on a good length and in that channel outside off, gets it to shape away from the seam. Shai Hope has a poke at it but the ball zips past the outside edge.
Thomas Draca to Shai Hope, FOUR! Lovely shot! Thomas Draca serves a juicy half-volley around off. Shai Hope leans on to his drive nicely and drives it crisply through covers for a boundary. Crishan Kalugamage at short cover dives to his left but has no chance and awkwardly lands on his left shoulder. Hopefully, he is fine.
Excellent first over from Ali Hasan. Just the one over for JJ Smuts in his opening spell. He is replaced by the right-arm speedster, Thomas Draca.
- Shai Hope 2 (4)
- Shimron Hetmyer 1 (2)
Ali Hasan to Shai Hope, Back of a length and on off, shaping in, Shai Hope dabs it through point for a run. 2 runs and a wicket from Ali's first over!
Ali Hasan to Shai Hope, Overpitched delivery, on off, Shai Hope drills it straight towards mid off.
Ali Hasan to Shai Hope, Pulls his length back a bit, on off, nips back in again. Shai Hope gets behind the line of it and fends it down the pitch.
Ali Hasan to Shimron Hetmyer, Pitched up and on off, Shimron Hetmyer drills it wide of mid off, where the fielder makes a sliding stop to his right. A single to get off the mark for Hettie.
Ali Hasan to Shimron Hetmyer, Fuller delivery, on middle, Shimron Hetmyer blocks it out.
Brandon King's lean run in the World Cup continues. Shimron Hetmyer is in early.
Ali Hasan to Brandon King, OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Oh...that's an absolute beauty. Ali Hasan comes from over the wicket, lands this on a good length on the fourth stump line, gets it to jag back in sharply. Brandon King looks to play at it from the crease but gets cut in half as the ball goes past the inside edge behind, where the keeper, Gian-Piero Meade, takes a good catch to his left. There is a shout for caught behind, but turned down. However, the keeper and bowler convince the Italy skipper to take the review. UltraEdge comes up on the big screen and shows a spike when the ball is next to the bat, much to the delight of Italians. The on-field call is changed to Out, and the Windies are rocked early.
Pace from the other end? Indeed. Left-arm quick, Ali Hasan is ready at the top of his mark.
- Brandon King 4 (5)
- Shai Hope 1 (1)
JJ Smuts to Brandon King, Pushed through quicker, shortish and on middle, angling in again. Brandon King backs away and punches it towards short extra cover for one. Just 5 runs off the first over!
JJ Smuts to Brandon King, Arm ball, full and on off, angling in, Brandon King pushes it back to the bowler.
JJ Smuts to Brandon King, Continues with the shorter length, on the leg stump line, Brandon King flicks it off the back foot to deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs.
JJ Smuts to Shai Hope, Goes short again, on off, Shai Hope stays back and nudges it through mid-wicket for a run.
JJ Smuts to Brandon King, Brandon King and West Indies are underway! Shorter in length and outside off, King backs away and slaps it wide of extra cover. Anthony Mosca dives to his left to make a good stop. A single taken.
JJ Smuts to Brandon King, JJ Smuts starts with a floater, full and on off, Brandon King prods forward and blocks it out.
We are all set for the action to begin. West Indies all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite has the honour of ringing the bell before the start of play. 'Remember the name' - Ian Bishop's iconic words still ring in our ears after Brathwaite’s unforgettable heroics on the big stage here. Harry Manenti and his men make their way out to the centre. It will be Shai Hope and Brandon King to open the innings for West Indies. Italy are starting with spin in the form of JJ Smuts. King to face the first ball. Away we go...
Before we get underway, the two teams will line up for the national anthems. The match officials lead the way, followed by the two sets of players. It will be Italy's national anthem, followed by the anthem of the West Indies.
PITCH REPORT - Simon Doull reports lovely conditions at the venue, with ideal weather for a good contest. He informs that the pitch is situated closer to the western side of the ground. In terms of dimensions, one side measures 71 metres, the other 59 metres, with 73 metres straight down the ground. Samuel Badree describes the venue as an unforgiving one for bowlers. Further says that it has been the best ground for six-hitting in this World Cup, with the fewest balls required per six. He observes a nice covering of grass on the surface. Badree notes that yorkers are always a strong option, but suggests the 6-8 metre length could be just as effective, where the strike rate drops to just under a run a ball. He also advises bowlers to make good use of cutters and to be mindful of the shorter square boundary. Doull adds that if he was the captain, he would have chosen to bat first on this surface.
A pillar of West Indies cricket - A massive moment as Jason Holder joins the elite club of 300 international caps. Shimron Hetmyer presents Jason Holder with a commemorative cap and a 300 printed jersey to mark the veteran's milestone 300th international appearance.
For Italy, this is about legacy. Their maiden World Cup journey has already delivered history, and ending with a competitive display would underline their progress in international cricket.
With both teams eager to make a statement for different reasons, an intriguing contest awaits at Eden Gardens.
On the batting front, Italy’s bowlers will face a stern test against a powerful West Indies lineup featuring Hope, Hetmyer and Rutherford. Containing Rutherford at the death could be decisive.
Eden Gardens has traditionally been a high-scoring venue, but disciplined bowling and smart field placements will determine the outcome.
Despite captain Wayne Madsen’s injury, the team has shown resilience under Harry Manenti’s leadership. Their victory over Nepal and spirited chase against England underlined their growing confidence and ability to compete at this level.
Today’s match is an opportunity to sign off with pride and perhaps produce a surprise result.
Shimron Hetmyer has been consistent with both stability and power, while Sherfane Rutherford’s recent unbeaten 76 showcased his destructive finishing ability. The Caribbean batting unit appears settled and capable of posting or chasing big totals.
In bowling, Matthew Forde has impressed with tight spells, supported well by Roston Chase and Gudakesh Motie. With conditions at Eden Gardens familiar, West Indies will look to stamp authority and fine-tune strategies before tougher Super Eights battles.
Italy, meanwhile, are already eliminated but have shown plenty of fight in their debut campaign. The Mosca brothers and Ben Manenti have provided memorable moments, and they will look to finish on a high note.
With West Indies set to face Zimbabwe, South Africa and India in the next round, today’s match offers a chance to test combinations and maintain rhythm.
Skipper Shai Hope has found form at the top, while Shimron Hetmyer and Sherfane Rutherford have added stability and firepower in the middle and lower order. Rutherford’s recent unbeaten 76 showcased his finishing prowess, while Hetmyer has been consistent with impactful knocks. Among the bowlers, Matthew Forde, Roston Chase, and Gudakesh Motie have provided control in key phases.
Italy, already eliminated, will aim to end their maiden campaign on a high. The Mosca brothers have impressed with record-breaking partnerships, while Ben Manenti has emerged as a standout performer. Despite captain Wayne Madsen’s injury, Italy have shown resilience and competitiveness.
With West Indies eyeing a strong Super Eights campaign, this match offers a chance to stamp authority at Eden Gardens, while Italy will look to create a memorable upset.
Match Statistics
Venue
Eden Gardens, Kolkata
