T20 World Cup 2026: West Indies beat Italy by 42 runs – Match Highlights, Top performers & Key stats

The West Indies won their ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 game against Italy with an impressive all-around performance, beating them by 42 runs. The West Indies batted first and scored 165 runs in 20 overs, which gave them a good total to defend due to calculated aggression and excellent partnerships. The bowlers from Italy occasionally showed discipline but were unable to limit runs scored by the West Indies at critical times throughout the game. In the latter half of their innings, the West Indies were able to play aggressively and make a good total for them to defend.

When the West Indies came out to bowl, they were able to take wickets off the batters in Italy regularly. Italy struggled to gain any momentum whilst chasing their target. Shai Hope was the top batter for the West Indies during the match, scoring 75 runs off 46 balls, hitting many boundaries and being very efficient at rotating the strike between his partners. Shai was supported by Roston Chase and several very late runs from Sherfane Rutherford and Matthew Forde to help increase their scoring rate during the final portion of their innings. Shai Hope was able to successfully pace his innings, playing very well early before turning up the aggression to try and punish bad deliveries. His innings were key in providing his bowlers with the cushion necessary to begin the task of defending the runs they had scored and put Italy on the defensive immediately after they began their attempt at chasing the runs. This helped the West Indies to achieve a victory by the extremely large margin of 42 runs.

Italy’s response never truly stabilized against the disciplined attack of West Indies, as early strikes dented their confidence and forced risky strokeplay. Despite brief resistance from Ben Manenti and JJ Smuts, partnerships failed to develop. Facing mounting scoreboard pressure against Italy’s chase expectations, batters perished attempting big shots. Regular dismissals meant the asking rate kept climbing beyond reach. By the eighteenth over, the innings folded for 123, sealing a comprehensive result that reflected the gulf in execution between both sides. Their chase lacked composure and direction throughout the contest overall.

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Bowling dominane seal deal for West Indies

The bowling unit then dismantled the batting order with relentless accuracy and variation. Shamar Joseph starred with four wickets, striking at key moments to halt any revival hopes. He was strongly supported by Matthew Forde, whose three scalps came through sharp pace and bounce. Spinner Gudakesh Motie added control in the middle overs, removing set batters and tightening pressure. Their combined effort ensured Italy never settled, as dot balls mounted and desperation forced mistakes that sealed the outcome. The attack maintained intensity from powerplay until the final wicket fell decisively.

With this convincing triumph, the Caribbean side strengthened their standing and boosted confidence heading into the next fixtures. The margin highlighted their superiority in both execution and temperament, traits essential in high-pressure tournaments. Batters laid the platform, bowlers completed the job, and fielders supported with sharp catching. Italy, meanwhile, will reflect on missed opportunities, particularly during the chase where partnerships were needed. If they regroup quickly and address inconsistencies, they can still salvage pride and valuable experience from the remainder of their campaign. Positives remain despite this heavy defeat overall.

Key Moments

The West Indies took command of the contest with a dominant phase in the middle of the game while batting and continued to take control early on when their bowlers got the first breakthrough. Italy lost too many wickets during the powerplay to ever be able to recover from the ever-increasing required run rate. Frequent wickets, especially when there were signs of any partnership building, stopped the chase from ever gaining any momentum. Exceptional fielding and disciplined line-and-length bowling continued to build pressure constantly, resulting in a decisive turn of the contest to the West Indies well before the end of the match, as the Italian tail melted down while attempting to increase their scoring against a West Indies attack who had become increasingly confident.

Top Performance

Shai Hope delivered an innings-defining 75 from 46 balls with a good mix of timing and calculated aggression to lay the foundation for a successful chase when he anchored the innings. His innings was supported by a burst of four wickets from Shamar Joseph, who broke the back of the Italian batting order and ended all hopes of them being able to make a comeback. The composure of Shai Hope coupled with the wicked-taking power of Shamar Joseph provided the perfect combination of bat and ball, respectively, to make them the standout performers in a convincing team victory.

Brief Score

West Indies 165/6 (20 overs) – Shai Hope 75, Sherfane Rutherford 24*, Matthew Forde 16*; Crishan Kalugamage 2/25, Ben Manenti 2/37
Italy 123 all out (18 overs) – JJ Smuts 24, Ben Manenti 26; Shamar Joseph 4/30, Matthew Forde 3/19

Result: West Indies won by 42 runs.