West Indies vs Italy Highlights, T20 World Cup 2026: West Indies beat Italy by 42 runs in Kolkata

Skipper time. The Azzurri have lost three in the Powerplay and the captain has to steer the ship to calmer waters. Harry Manenti walks in next, at number 5, replacing Syed Naqvi.

Matthew Forde to Syed Naqvi, OUT! TAKEN! Matthew Forde's brilliant run in the Powerplay continues and he gets his second wicket. Bowled on a good length and bit wide of the off stump. The ball shapes away as well. Syed Naqvi stays leg side of the delivery and throws the hands at it but because of the away movement, the ball catches the bottom part of the blade and gets skied up over the mid off region. Shamar Joseph back-pedals and takes a well-judged catch over his head. Italy are now 37/3, needing 129 more off 85 balls.

Matthew Forde to Syed Naqvi, Well bowled! A surprise bumper, over off stump, comes in around helmet height. Syed Naqvi swings and misses and the ball shapes away after going past the batter.

Matthew Forde to Syed Naqvi, Excellent work from Shimron Hetmyer. Fractionally short, around middle and off, Syed pulls this behind square on the leg side. This time, the ball does travel across the turf but Hetmyer charges to his right from deep square leg, dives and stops the ball, keeping the batters to a couple. 129 more needed from 87 balls.

Matthew Forde to Syed Naqvi, On a length, but down the leg side, Naqvi goes for the heave and because it is the big side of the ground, does not quite travel. The fielder from deep square leg gets to the ball and the batters get a couple of runs.

The physio has come out to the middle for a concussion check and the umpires take the opportunity to take the DRINKS BREAK. Barring that one match against Nepal, the Powerplay has not been kind to Italy. As per Simon Doull on air, they lose at least 2 wickets on an average in the Powerplay in this edition and once again, the same has transpired. Early wickets do give you a massive setback and even if the target seems gettable, it puts a lot of pressure on the middle order. The Windies have not been at their best, but have done well to not let Italy get away from them. We are about to resume, but I am not sure that Naqvi is feeling 100 percent. He is still shaking his head, which probably indicates that the dizziness might just be there. But he is continuing.

Matthew Forde to Syed Naqvi, That has rattled the helmet! A short ball, outside off, Syed Naqvi goes for the pull but the ball shoots back with pace, beats his bat and rams onto the back of the helmet. He does look a bit off, the batter, but thankfully, is okay physically at least.

Final over of the Powerplay. Will Akeal bowl another inside the fielding restrictions? Nope, in fact, Forde will bowl three on the trot.

Jason Holder to JJ Smuts, Another dot to end a very tidy first over from Holder, with just a single off it. Fullish length angled into the pads, JJ Smuts fails to get it away. 133 needed now off 90 balls.

Jason Holder to JJ Smuts, A swing and a miss and Smuts is starting to get bogged down here. Good-length delivery in the channel, shaping away, Smuts plants his front foot ahead and looks to loft it over mid off but is well beaten.

Jason Holder to JJ Smuts, A touch fuller on leg, straightens down the line, Smuts looks to flick but ends up defending it down the pitch.

Jason Holder to Syed Naqvi, Short and wide outside off, Syed throws his bat at it again. Gets it off the outer half of his bat and the ball flies down towards deep backward point. Sherfane Rutherford tries to get across to his right from deep third, but the ball lands in front. A single taken.

Jason Holder to Syed Naqvi, On a length, outside off, Naqvi blasts it out, but cannot beat cover.

Interesting. Akeal is off the attack. The man playing his 300th international game, Jason Holder, comes onto bowl.

Jason Holder to Syed Naqvi, Full and straight, Syed Naqvi pushes it down towards mid on.

Matthew Forde to JJ Smuts, A polite enquiry for LBW, turned down. Good length, around middle and shaping back in. JJ Smuts looks to flick it away but plays all around a straight ball and gets hit on the pads once again. More of an appeal from the West Indies this time, but again, it seems to be missing leg and a bit too high as well. 

Matthew Forde to JJ Smuts, Back of a length, over off and middle, seams in a touch. Smuts plays completely down the wrong line and wears it on the thigh pad this time.

Matthew Forde to JJ Smuts, Doing too much! On a good length and on off, this one pitches and darts back in a long way. JJ Smuts looks to block but gets pinged on the pads. Might have been too high as well.

Matthew Forde to JJ Smuts, FOUR! Dropped short, outside off, JJ Smuts stays back and pulls it, almost like a short-arm jab, through mid-wicket, for a boundary.

Matthew Forde to JJ Smuts, On a length, outside off, Smuts punches it towards cover.

Another delay now. Naqvi seems to be having an issue with something. Seems like his left knee, by the looks of it. The physio is out in the middle now. Oh dear. Syed is on his back side now. The physio is doing a few stretches to his left leg. Hopefully, it is just a cramp. All in readiness now.

Matthew Forde to Syed Naqvi, Dragged short, outside off, Naqvi drags this behind square on the leg side for a single, to get off the mark.

Matthew Forde to Syed Naqvi, WIDE. On a length, going down the leg side with the angle, Syed Naqvi looks to pull but misses. 139 more needed from 102 balls.

Two contradictory overs from Hosein. A boundary on the last ball spoilt his first over, while a wicket on the last ball has glorified his second. JJ Smuts walks in next, at number 4, replacing Anthony Mosca.

Akeal Hosein to Anthony Mosca, OUT! CAUGHT! Akeal Hosein fires back and gets his man. Akeal lobs the ball full and on leg stump, but gives it a lot more air. Anthony Mosca lunges across to get inside the line of the ball and sweep but mistimes it straight to short fine leg. The ball loops up and Shamar Joseph takes a couple of steps to his left and hangs on to a simple catch. Both Mosca brothers are now back in the hut and Italy still need 140 more off 102 balls.

Akeal Hosein to Anthony Mosca, SIX! High and handsome! Floated up a bit fuller on middle, angling in, Anthony Mosca sits down and gets under the flight of the ball, lifting it a long way over deep mid-wicket for another biggie. Italy are living up to their reputation of being the most consistent six-hitters in this year's competition, as mentioned on air by Simon Doull. They average a six nearly every 10 balls and we have already seen 2 of them in 17 balls.

Akeal Hosein to Anthony Mosca, Excellent work from Shimron Hetmyer. Slightly short, darts back into the stumps, Mosca backs away and punches it firmly to the left of short cover, where Hetmyer dives and parries it to cover-point.

Akeal Hosein to Anthony Mosca, SIX! POUNDED! That is the short side of the ground, but would have cleared the ropes on many grounds. Fractionally short, around off, Anthony Mosca gets down on a knee and slog-pulls this powerfully over mid-wicket, for the first biggie of the chase! 146 more needed from 105 balls.

Akeal Hosein to Anthony Mosca, On middle and leg, pretty full, Mosca drives it straight to mid off.

Akeal Hosein to Anthony Mosca, Tossed up, outside off, Anthony Mosca hammers this straight back over the bowler's head. Doesn't time it perfectly and that allows mid off to catch up with the ball. Two runs taken.

Matthew Forde to Syed Naqvi, Another nip-backer from Forde to end a successful over. On a hard length and outside off, curves back into the right-hander. Syed Naqvi taps it to the right of point for a dot.

Early strike by the West Indies. They get into a huddle now. Roston Chase is full of expressions, trying to pump the group up, Syed Naqvi walks in next, at number 3, replacing Justin Mosca.  Just a slight delay as the previous dismissal seems to have damaged the bail. The box of bails comes out and a replacement one is kept, but it does not light up. Trying another one now. Unsuccessful. Still waiting. That is one of the issues with the Zing bails. They are primarily used because of their lighting effect. So if they don't light up, they cannot be used. Finally, we are ready.

Matthew Forde to Justin Mosca, OUT! BOWLED'EM! Matthew Forde draws first blood for West Indies. Forde comes around the wicket to the left-hander and serves it a bit fuller than a good length, in the channel outside off. Justin Mosca leans back and looks to cut but the ball seams back in sharply and goes past the willow to smash into the top of the off pole. Italy are 12/1, needing 154 more off 109 balls.

Matthew Forde to Anthony Mosca, Back of a length, shapes back into the batter. Anthony hops up and taps it into the off side for an easy single.

Matthew Forde to Anthony Mosca, Short and wide outside off, Anthony misses out, lashing the cut, but not connecting.

Matthew Forde to Justin Mosca, Direct hit, but Anthony Mosca is in. Full, on middle and off, JM pushes it towards mid off and sets off for a single. His brother waits for a while, as he wants to check whether the ball is past the bowler. He takes off late and there is just that half a chance for a run out. Sherfane Rutherford gets to the ball to his left from mid off, picks the ball up and has a shy at the striker's end, hitting the stumps direct. However, Anthony seems to have put in the long yards to get in comfortably.

Matthew Forde to Justin Mosca, FIVE WIDES! Oh dear, wrongly lined and that is a decent bonus for Italy. Forde tries for the magic ball, aiming to land the ball around middle and leg and then shape it away from there, looking to square up the batter. But he ends up bowling too straight, down the leg side and the ball keeps going down with the angle. Justin misses his flick and the keeper cannot get to the ball even with a dive to his right. The ball races to the fine leg fence. 156 more needed from 113 balls.

Matthew Forde to Justin Mosca, From around the wicket, on a good length, outside off, angling in, but then shaping away. Justin Mosca feels for it but misses.

That last ball kind of spoilt what would have been a terrific opening over. Matthew Forde will share the new-ball attack.

Akeal Hosein to Anthony Mosca, FOUR! Fine enough from Anthony Mosca. Full and angled into the pads, Anthony Mosca lunges across to get inside the line and sweeps it between the keeper and short fine leg for a boundary to end the first over. Italy are 5/0.

Akeal Hosein to Anthony Mosca, Oh, an outside edge but no time for the keeper to react to that. Akeal bowls the arm ball and darts it in from outside off, Anthony gets squared up and gets a big deflection behind and the ball raps Shai Hope's pad before going down.

Akeal Hosein to Anthony Mosca, Just inside the new guideline. Floated up, full and just down leg, Anthony Mosca gets inside the line to sweep it hard but misses. No wide called by the umpire.

Akeal Hosein to Anthony Mosca, Tossed up, around middle and leg, Anthony Mosca stays back and blocks it to the off side.

Akeal Hosein to Justin Mosca, Yeah... that will be the real test of that shoulder. Short, around off, Justin goes back and pulls it ferociously through mid-wicket. No discomfort shown as of now. There is a fielder in the deep, so it will be just a single.

Akeal Hosein to Justin Mosca, On a length, around off, hint of away movement, Justin Mosca pushes it towards short third. First look at the shoulder of Justin, after he injured himself in the field.

We are back for the chase! The umpires are back out in the middle and so are the players of West Indies. The Mosca brothers, Anthony and Justin, are all set to open the innings for Italy. Akeal Hosein will get proceedings underway with the ball. A slip in place to begin with. Let's go...

... THE RUN CHASE ...

Chance to script history - Italy will be pleased with their bowling effort here, keeping things tight in the Powerplay as Ali Hasan and Thomas Draca struck early to pick up key wickets and put West Indies under pressure from the outset. The spinners then took control in the middle overs, with Crishan Kalugamage the pick of them, claiming a couple of wickets, giving away just 25 runs in his four overs, while Benjamin Manenti offered superb support with two of his own. The bowlers have done their job, now it is up to the batters to step up and produce something special to script a famous upset. Join us in a bit for the second essay.

Hope holds firm - West Indies stumbled early with a couple of quick wickets, but skipper Shai Hope held firm, anchoring the innings with a gritty 75 off 46 and sharing a 64-run stand with Roston Chase, who struggled for fluency. In fact, it was not until the 10th over that a batter other than Hope found the boundary. With little support from the middle order, the pressure mounted before a few lusty blows from Sherfane Rutherford and Matthew Forde at the death lifted them past the 160-mark.

Windies grind it out - Not the most fluent outing with the bat from West Indies, but they have still managed to put up a competitive score. Italy kept things tight for most of the innings, though 50 runs in the last five overs hurt them slightly. Hasan Ali finished brilliantly, conceding just 8 in the final over, as Italy restricted West Indies to their lowest first innings total of this World Cup.