KOLKATA: Skipper Shai Hope was not happy with the batting struggles of his side, especially in the Power-play, despite West Indies registering a thumping 42-run win against Italy in their last group stage match of the T20 World Cup 2026 played at Eden Gardens on Thursday, staying unbeaten and marching into the Super 8s in dominant fashion.
Batting first after losing the toss, West Indies posted 165/6 in 20 overs, led by captain Shai Hope, who struck a fluent 75. The total proved more than enough as fast bowler Shamar Joseph starred with four wickets to bowl Italy out for 123 in 18 overs.
Reflecting on the first innings, Hope felt his side could have pushed harder with the bat despite putting up a competitive score.
“I thought that the pitch was pretty decent. I thought we should have got a bit more on the board, especially looking at how the other wickets played, especially in the first couple of overs. I also said before, it’s a bit different when you’ve got a few up from there. And in that situation there, I just felt as though we could have put a bit more impetus into the innings, especially with the field,” Hope said.
West Indies lost a couple of early wickets but were steadied by Hope’s authoritative knock, before late contributions from Rutherford and Forde ensured a defendable total. However, the skipper stressed the importance of being more forceful in similar situations going forward.
“We’ve got to ensure that if we have to face that situation again, that we’re going to play the best to be a bit more forceful. But when crunch time comes, let’s ensure that you capitalise on those deliveries,” he said. IANS
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