West Indies vs Italy highlights, T20 World Cup 2026: West Indies beat Italy by 42 runs

Draca made room fourth ball of the 18th, Joseph followed. It was a pretty high full toss, Draca still had some room and he slapped it to the fielder at backward point. The umpires had to check for height belatedly. It looked like they had decided to stick to the decision, the ball was above waist height when Draca made contact with the bat, but then he was well outsight his crease. It would've been below waist height had he stayed in. But then Draca walks back in, it seems there were some mixed signals. Smiles and laughter all around, in the end comes the third umpire's voice through the Stadium PA, "It's a fair delivery".

Manenti bottom edges the last of the 16th over by Motie onto his own stumps and that is the end of a memorable tournament for him as well. He has shown his power with the bat and how difficult he can be to score against as well on different occassions over the course of this tournament.

Ben Manenti b Motie 26 (21)

Italy 115/7 in 16 overs

Swept straight to the fielder at deep backward square. That was a full delivery on leg stump, Smuts couldn't really get under it properly and hits it flat to Joseph. Italy have lost half their batting lineup.

Smuts c Joseph b Motie 24 (27)

Italy 78/5 in 12 overs

Shamar Joseph finally brought on for the first time in the ninth over. Sends in the fifth ball back of a length, it straightens off the seam and takes some extra bounce. Manenti gets a thick edge on his attempted cut shot and is caught by the keeper.

Harry Manenti c Hope b Joseph 8 (10)

Italy 57/4 in 8.5 overs

JJ Smuts is out there with Syed Naqvi. Smuts has played against and with these West Indies quite a few times in T20 leagues around the world of course. It has been a quiet powerplay thus far but Italy aren't too far behidn the required rate. They are going at 8 runs an over, the required rate is 8.37. Still too early to talk about stuff like that of course.

Forde bowls the second over of the innings, his fifth balls nips in and takes the bail on off stump. A strong start this has been for the West Indies, they have given just 12 runs the first 11 balls, five of which came from wides.

Justin Mosca b Forde 2 (5)

Italy 12/1 in 1.5 overs

19-year-old Hasan Ali finishes this T20 World Cup with figures of 1/24. Absolutely brilliant tournament for him and for Italy. They have been flawless in the field today and with the ball and restrict the West Indies to their lowest total thus far in this World Cup.

Six and out for Holder as well. He had sent the third ball of the 18th over cow corner for a six. Then tries to clear long on, Manenti moves to his right and takes the catch. A chance for Kalugamage to do his signature celebration again. For the uninitiated, it is the one that Lautaro Martinez, captain of Inter Milan, does whenever he scores. Kalugamage is a fan of Inter.

Holder c Harry Manenti b Kalugamage 9 (7)

Oh knocks him over! Kalugamage fires in the first ball of the 16th over fast and full. Hope tries to pull it leg side and is hurried into the shot. The ball goes right through and takes his middle and leg stumps.

Hope b Kalugamage 75 (46)

West Indies 115/5 in 15.1 overs

Chase hits it straight down the throat of the man at deep square leg and goes off with a strike rate below 100. Well, Chase probably himself knew that he needed to get a move on and was looking to do exactly that. He drove the second ball of that over right back over the bowler's head for four. Then he took a hack across the line next ball. He couldn't get the distance he wanted on it though.

Chase c AJ Mosca b Ben Manenti 24 (25)

West Indies 95/3 in 12.3 overs

He hasn't gone smash-bang-wallop and still gets to a half-century with a strike rate of 178.57. He has hit two fours and two sixes thus far. Raises his bat briefly and punches fists with Chase to celebrate.

Chase is on seven off 10 at the other end, he needs a boundary.

West Indies 63/2 in 8 overs

That is a very good catch at short third by Smuts and Thomas Draca strikes first ball of the fifth with a huge wicket! Fullish delivery, lands on off stump and seams away slightly. Hetmyer goes for a drive on the up, it takes a thick edge and Smuts dives to his right to take the catch.

Hetmyer c Smuts b Draca 1 (4)

West Indies 31/1 in 4.1 overs

Italy appeal for caught behind, the umpire shakes his head, Manenti is convinced to go for the review. As soon as he made that gesture, King dropped his head. He knew. Very first ball of the match from Hasan Ali, fullish swinging in and then out. King tried to drive through cover, the ball takes the inside edge and through to the wicketkeeper.

King c Meade b Ali Hasan 4 (6)

West Indies 5/1 in 1.1 overs

All right the two teams have assembled in the middle at the Eden Gardens. First will be Italy's national anthem and that will be followed by the West Indies'

West Indies: Brandon King, Shai Hope(w/c), Shimron Hetmyer, Roston Chase, Sherfane Rutherford, Rovman Powell, Jason Holder, Matthew Forde, Akeal Hosein, Gudakesh Motie, Shamar Joseph

Italy: Justin Mosca, Anthony Mosca, Syed Naqvi, JJ Smuts, Harry Manenti(c), Ben Manenti, Grant Stewart, Gian Meade(w), Crishan Kalugamage, Thomas Draca, Ali Hasan

"We’re going to have a bowl today. We get caught - there’s a touch in the wicket early, hopefully this morning — and give ourselves the best crack to try and swing a few up front and take some early wickets. We take some confidence out of our last game against England, I think, against a really strong side. Obviously, we play West Indies today, who are another really powerful team and have had success in this format for a long time. So we look forward to the challenge and hopefully we can step it up and really compete with them today. It’s obviously a focus point ever since Scotland, to try and take wickets in that front half of the game and try and conserve as well, like we did in Nepal. So if we can do that today, hopefully it’s a good step towards having a successful game and winning. Two changes for us."

West Indies are already through, Italy have had a lot of reasons to smile over the course of their first ever appearance at the T20 World Cup. Can they finish on a good note? Stay tuned for more updates!