Hope, Joseph lead Windies into Super Eights in winning fashion

KOLKATA – The West Indies were not at their clinical best but were still good enough to dispatch Italy by 42 runs to saunter into the Super Eight phase of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on a winning note in India on Thursday.

Captain Shai Hope notched his second successive half century in an otherwise underwhelming batting performance by the Windies, who could only muster 165 for six in their 20 overs after being sent in to bat at Eden Gardens.

Shamar Joseph, Matthew Forde and Gudakesh Motie then shared nine wickets between them, as the Windies did well to bowl out their opponents for 123 in 18 overs, to carry them to their fourth win in as many matches in Group C.

Despite already securing qualification to the Super Eights, the West Indies’ serious approach to the contest was evident in their decision to name the same team that trounced Nepal by nine wickets on Sunday.

They didn’t get off to the best of starts, however, as Brandon King’s struggles at the top of the order continued, with left-arm seamer Ali Hasan having him caught behind for just four in the day’s second over.

The in-form Shimron Hetmyer scored a solitary run before edging Thomas Draca to short third man where JJ Smuts took a good catch diving to his right to leave the Windies 31 for two at the start of the fifth over.

Roston Chase looked out of sorts in his 24 runs off 25 balls, but he formed a crucial partnership with Hope in adding 64 runs for the third wicket.

Hope, on the other hand, found his rhythm after a slow start, moving into the 40s by clobbering Ben Manenti over cover for six.

He brought up his second straight half century off 28 balls in the ensuing over by driving Smuts down to long off for a single.

Chase was put down by Justin Mosca when he was 18, but it proved not to be costly as his pedestrian innings came to an end when he hit Maneti straight into the hands of deep backward square.

Rovman Powell hit Maneti for a thunderous six but fell for nine trying to repeat the shot, caught on the midwicket boundary, as the Windies slipped to 113 for four in the 15th over.

When Player-of-the-Match Hope was bowled by Crishan Kalugamage two runs later for the topscore of 75 0ff 46 balls, inclusive of six fours and four sixes, the West Indies were in serious trouble at 115 for five.

But Sherfane Rutherford, who scored an unbeaten 24 off 15 balls and Matthew Forde, who blasted 16 off eight balls, helped them pummel 50 runs off the last five overs to get them up to a respectable total.

Kalugamage took 2-25, while Manenti grabbed 2-37 for Italy.

Faced with a reachable target, Italy’s batting never fired and they lost wickets at regular intervals to fall behind in their chase.

Forde struck in his first over and the second of the innings by bowling Justin Mosca for two with an inswinger and also snared the wicket of Syed Naqvi for six, to see Italy limp to 37 for three at the end of the Powerplay.

Captain Harry Manenti was undone by pace and could only edge Joseph behind, before JJ Smuts picked out Joseph at deep backward square off Motie’s bowling to reduce Italy to 78 for five after 12 overs.

Joseph, who also took four catches, then accounted for the wickets of Grant Stewart for 12, Thomas Draca for five and last man Hasan for a duck to wrap up the match.

He ended with figures of 4-39, Forde claimed 3-19 and Motie 2-24.

The West Indies will play their first Super Eight match against Zimbabwe on February 23 at the Wankhede Stadium.

CMC

Summrised scores

WEST INDIES 165-6 in 20 overs (Shai Hope 75, Sherfane Rutherford 24 not out, Roston Chase 24, Matthew Forde 16 not out; Crishan Kalugamage 2-25, Ben Manenti 2-37).

ITALY 123 in 18 overs (Ben Manenti 26, JJ Smuts 24, Anthony Mosca 19, Grant Stewart 12; Shamar Joseph 4-30, Matthew Forde 3-19, Gudakesh Motie 2-24).

Result: West Indies won by 42 runs.

Toss: Italy elected to field.

Player-of-the-Match: Shai Hope.

Umpires: Adrian Holdstock, Langton Rusere.

TV Umpire: Alex Wharf.

Reserve Umpire: KN Ananthapadmanabhan.

Match Referee: Dave Gilbert.

Group C

Pl*Team*M*W*L*T*N/R*PTS*NRR

1*West Indies*4 4 0 0 0 8 1.874

2*England*4 3 1 0 0 6 0.201

3*Scotland*4 1 3 0 0 2 0.184

4*Italy*4 1 3 0 0 2 -1.020

5*Nepal*4 1 3 0 0 2 -1.349