Italy vs West Indies: T20 World Cup Final Match
In a thrilling encounter in Kolkata, Italy has opted to bowl first after winning the toss against the formidable West Indies during their final T20 World Cup match on Thursday. The West Indies have been riding high in Group C, having secured their place in the Super 8s with three impressive victories. They now find themselves alongside India, Zimbabwe, and South Africa in Group 1 of the next phase of the tournament, while Group 2 comprises New Zealand, England, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
Team Updates
Leading the Italian side is Harry Manenti, who has stepped up as captain in the absence of Wayne Madsen. Madsen had to withdraw from the competition after suffering a shoulder dislocation while fielding in the initial match against Scotland at the same venue. Manenti expressed optimism at the toss, hoping for favorable conditions that would allow his bowlers to capitalize and strike early against a powerful West Indies lineup.
“I’m looking for some assistance from the pitch today,” Manenti stated. “We gained some confidence from playing against England, and now we face another tough opponent in the West Indies.”
Despite earlier defeats to Scotland and England, Italy made headlines by defeating a highly-rated Nepal team by 10 wickets in Mumbai, showcasing their competitive spirit.
On the other side, West Indies, under the leadership of captain Shai Hope, haven’t shown any weaknesses. Their lineup has been bolstered by impressive contributions from top-order batsmen like Hope, Shimron Hetmyer, and Sherfane Rutherford, each of whom has crossed the fifty-run mark in prior matches. Speaking before the game, Hope downplayed the significance of the toss, stating,
“It’s not something within our control,”
as they maintained the same squad that recently triumphed over Nepal by nine wickets.
Upcoming Matches
In another pivotal matchup occurring later on Thursday, Zimbabwe, who recently eliminated Australia from the tournament, is set to close their group stage campaign against Sri Lanka in Colombo. Meanwhile, Afghanistan, having reached the semifinals in 2024 and narrowly missing out against South Africa, is gearing up to face Canada in the concluding match of Group D.
Team Lineups
West Indies lineup: Brandon King, Shai Hope (captain), Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Matthew Forde, Roston Chase, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosain, Shamar Joseph, Gudakesh Motie.
Italy lineup: Justin Mosca, Anthony Mosca, Syed Naqvi, Harry Manenti (captain), J.J. Smuts, Ben Manenti, Grant Stewart, Gian-Piero Meade, Crishan Kalugamage, Thomas Draca, Ali Hasan.
