eden garden: While Italy exited their maiden World Cup with a win against Nepal and many memories to cherish, West Indies sealed their fourth successive win at the venue where they will face India in their final Super Eight fixture on March 1.
Italy may have sensed an opportunity for another win when they stifled West Indies’ power-packed middle order, but Matthew Forde’s twin strikes in the powerplay decisively tilted the game in West Indies’ favour. Bowling three overs on the bounce, Forde dismissed both Justin Mosca and No. 3 Syed Naqvi, helping West Indies restrict Italy to 37 for 3 in six overs. Shamar Joseph then bagged four wickets to go with his four catches as Italy were bowled out for 123.
The win was set up by Shai Hope, who hit back-to-back half-centuries and dominated the early exchanges with an array of off-side drives. West Indies lost steam after Hope departed for 75 off 46 balls, but they regained it through their bowlers.
After West Indies were asked to bat first, they hit seven boundaries in the powerplay, and Hope was responsible for all of those. By the eighth over, the West Indies captain had zoomed to a 28-ball half-century. The first boundary by a West Indies player not named “Shai Hope” came in the tenth over when Roston Chase backed away and lifted left-arm spinner JJ Smuts over extra-cover.
Hope peppered the off side, scoring 46 of his 75 runs in that region. Anything that was remotely full and outside off was crashed in the arc between mid-off and point. When Italy dragged their lengths back, Hope was ready for it as well. Like when left-arm seamer Ali Hasan banged one into his upper body, Hope swatted him away over square leg for six in the fourth over. Hope was particularly severe on right-arm fast bowler Thomas Draca, taking him for 20 off nine balls.
Italy finally stopped him in the 16th over when legspinner Kalugagame bowled him with a tossed-up wrong’un. West Indies were on track for 200, especially when Hope was in charge, but wristspinner Kalugamage combined well with offspinner Ben Manenti to drag them back. After being on 90 for 2 in 12 overs, a West Indies middle order that included the likes of Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford and Jason Holder could only manage 75 in the final eight overs on a fairly flat pitch at a ground with small boundaries.
Chase didn’t find his timing at any point, labouring to 24 off 25 balls before Ben Manenti had him holing out. Powell scored a run-a-ball 9 before also falling to Ben Manenti.
Kalugamage busted his finger while taking the catch of Powell in the outfield, but after a quick trip back to the dressing room, he castled Hope and brought out his trademark arms-crossed celebration, paying tribute to Lautaro Martinez, his favourite football player. The celebration made another appearance after Kalugamage had Holder caught at wide long-on with a short and wide legbreak.
Forde, who retained his place in the XI ahead of Romario Shepherd, who had also missed the previous game with a niggle, made a cameo (16 not out off eight balls) to haul West Indies past 160.
