Kolkata

Skipper Shai Hope struck a fluent 75, but debutants Italy pulled things back superbly with disciplined bowling to restrict two-time champions West Indies to 165 for six in their final group league fixture of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup here on Thursday.

On a batting-friendly surface—where England’s 200-plus total was nearly chased down in the previous game—the target of 166 looked underwhelming at the innings break. Italy’s spinners, led by Ben Manenti (2/37) and Crishan Kalugamage (2/25), choked the run flow in the back end.

It could have been worse for the Windies had Grant Stewart not conceded 19 runs in the penultimate over, with Sherfane Rutherford (24 not out off 15 balls) and Matthew Forde (16 not out off eight balls) propping up the total.

Hope batted effortlessly, bringing up a 28-ball fifty while striking four sixes and six fours in his 46-ball knock. However, Roston Chase’s sluggish 24 off 25 balls stalled the momentum. Even as Hope found the fence regularly, Chase struggled to rotate the strike before holing out to deep forward square.

The pressure mounted with two quick wickets—Chase and Rovman Powell (9)—as off-spinner Manenti and Sri Lanka-origin leg-spinner Kalugamage turned the tide in Italy’s favour. Manenti struck in successive overs, including the key scalp of Powell, while Kalugamage delivered the decisive blow by cleaning up Hope with one that slid in as the batter left his stumps exposed. The leg-spinner also removed Jason Holder (9) to tighten Italy’s grip.

JJ Smuts was tidy with the new ball, conceding just 27 runs in his four overs without a wicket, as Italy’s disciplined attack denied West Indies their customary late surge. Despite Hope’s brilliance and a 64-run stand with Chase, the Windies faltered in the final 10 overs.

Opting to bowl, Italy struck immediately as left-arm seamer Ali Hasan removed Brandon King (4) with his first ball. Hope counterattacked in style, drilling a wide half-volley from Thomas Draca through extra-cover, before Hasan erred in line to concede a flurry of boundaries, including a pulled six over square leg.

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Draca, however, hit back to dismiss Shimron Hetmyer (1), drawing an outside edge to short third—his first single-digit score of the tournament after knocks of 64, 23 and 46 not out.