west indies vs italy — Windies juggernaut rolls on to finish Group C unbeaten
Shai Hope's fluent 75 and a collective bowling performance propelled West Indies to a 42-run victory over Italy, a result that completed a perfect Group C run and left the Caribbean side charging into the Super Eights. Italy were dismissed for 123 in 18 overs while chasing 166, with pace and spin combining to suffocate the chase.
Hope anchors a patchy Windies innings
Put in to bat, West Indies flirted with early trouble when Shimron Hetmyer and Brandon King fell cheaply in the powerplay. That early wobble could have become costly, but skipper Shai Hope steadied the innings with a composed 46-ball 75 featuring six fours and four sixes. Hope counterpunched to get the Windies to a competitive 165 for 6, repeatedly piercing the off side and forcing the bowlers to alter lengths.
Hope’s knock arrived after a recent purple patch with the bat and his ability to find boundaries on a fast outfield kept the scoreboard ticking. Roston Chase offered some middle-order resistance with 24 from 25 balls, though his lack of rotation at key moments slowed momentum. The innings lacked a big late flourish, and spinners in the Italian attack—particularly Ben Manenti and Crishan Kalugamage—made life difficult by stemming the flow in the death overs and tying down runs.
Pace and spin finish the job as Italy crumble
The chase never truly gathered pace. Young seamer Matthew Forde set the tone with a disciplined new-ball spell, striking early and finishing with tidy figures. Forde removed Justin Mosca and Syed Naqvi with probing deliveries that forced mistakes, and his control in the powerplay kept Italy on the back foot.
Shamar Joseph emerged as the chief destroyer, using short balls and clever variations to take four wickets and snuff out any hope of a late resurgence. Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie applied the squeeze in the middle overs, using guile and change of pace to claim two key scalps and maintain scoreboard pressure. The combination of pace up front and spin in the middle left Italy unable to build partnerships; wickets arrived at regular intervals and the chase collapsed in the 18th over.
Italy’s modest total reflected both excellent bowling and some fragile moments from their batters. JJ Smuts produced a fighting 24 and Ben offered glimpses of class with 26, but neither could sustain the tempo needed on the Eden pitch. Earlier big partnerships in the group had suggested Italy could chase well on this surface, but on the day they were repeatedly undone by accurate bowling and smart field placements.
What this means going forward
The win secures West Indies top spot in Group C and sends them into the Super Eights with momentum and confidence. Their balance between attacking batting and a varied bowling unit looks well suited for knockout-stage intensity. For Italy, the campaign ends with a solitary victory from four games, but there were encouraging individual performances and signs that they can compete against higher-ranked sides on helpful surfaces.
For the Windies, consistent contributions from emerging quicks and the return of control in the spin department provide a clear blueprint: tight bowling in the middle overs and one big innings up the order. As they prepare for the next phase, the Caribbean side will be buoyed by a convincing finish to their group run and the belief that their attack can win them matches even when the batting lacks a late surge.
