Sublime Hope, incisive Joseph ease West Indies past Italy

Sublime Hope, incisive Joseph ease West Indies past Italy

Skipper Shai Hope (75, 46b, 6x4, 4x6) found a gear between timing and intent to steer West Indies to 165 for six, setting up a 42-run win over Italy in their last Group-C match of the ongoing T20 World Cup at the Eden Gardens here on Thursday.

His innings gathered pace without ever looking like it was trying to. It didn’t announce itself; it revealed itself, over by over. It was T20 batting with an accent — classical strokes, spoken quickly, fluently, and with no wasted syllables. Power arrived not as a flex but as a consequence.

He expressed his class through covers, caressing, blasting, and lofting four fours and a six there. The bowlers kept flirting with that line outside off, and the bat kept responding with the same calm verdict.

Meanwhile, his teammates either struggled to begin or to endure.

Brandon King (4) and Shimron Hetmyer (1) fell early to the pacers, before the spinners took over.

Roston Chase made a scratchy 24 off 25 balls before hacking across the line and skying an outside edge off Ben Manenti. Rovman Powell (9) followed soon after, holing out to deep backward square just after launching a six there, also off Manenti.

West Indies was squeezed for flourish at the death as leg-spinner Crishan Kalugamage struck twice.

Hope, looking to slog sweep, was cleaned up by a googly, before Jason Holder (9) holed out to long-on. Sherfane Rutherford (24 n.o.) accounted for nearly half the runs at the death, striking two fours and a six.

Italy’s chase never settled into anything durable. Early intent gave way to caution as wickets fell and the asking rate climbed beyond comfort.

Pacers Shamar Joseph (four for 30) and Matthew Forde (three for 19) ensured that Italy fell well short of the target.

Italy can take heart from its bowling and fielding in the contest. As for its overall effort in the campaign, it will be acknowledged with a reception from the Italian Senate, as revealed by head coach John Davison before the match.

The scores: West Indies 165/6 in 20 overs (Shai Hope 75, Ben Manenti 2/37, Crishan Kalugamage 2/25) bt Italy 123 in 18 overs (Matthew Forde 3/19, Gudakesh Motie 2/24, Shamar Joseph 4/30).

Toss: Italy; PoM: Hope.