ICC T20 World Cup 2026: West Indies Crush Italy to End Group Stage on High

Date: February 19, 2026

Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata

Result: West Indies (165/6) beat Italy (123/10) by 42 runs

The "Men in Maroon" have issued a stern warning to the rest of the world. In their final Group C encounter at the iconic Eden Gardens, the West Indies completed a flawless 4-0 run in the opening stage of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, dismantling a spirited Italian side by 42 runs.

The Anchor: Shai Hope Leads the Way

After Italy won the toss and opted to bowl, the Caribbean side found themselves in a spot of bother early. The Italian bowlers, Skyexchange Login feeding off the energy of their maiden World Cup appearance, managed to remove Brandon King and Shimron Hetmyer during the powerplay.

However, captain Shai Hope proved exactly why he is the backbone of this lineup. Scoring a magnificent 75 off 46 balls, Hope anchored the innings with a blend of classic strokes and modern aggression. Despite losing partners like Rovman Powell and Sherfane Rutherford cheaply, Hope ensured the total reached a competitive 165/6.

The Demolition: Shamar Joseph’s Masterclass

Italy’s chase started with a flurry of boundaries from the Mosca brothers, giving the European debutants a glimmer of hope. But that hope was short-lived once the West Indian pace battery found its rhythm.

Shamar Joseph was the star of the show. Delivering relentless pace and steep bounce, Joseph tore through the Italian middle order, finishing with incredible figures of 4/30. He was equally active in the field, incredibly taking four catches—a rare and dominant all-round feat in T20 cricket. Matthew Forde provided the perfect support, bagging 3/19 to ensure Italy was bundled out for 123 in the 18th over.

End of a Fairytale for Italy

While the result was a "crushing" defeat on paper, Italy leaves the tournament with their heads held high. Qualifying for their first-ever World Cup and putting up respectable fights against giants like England and the West Indies proves that cricket is growing in the Mediterranean. Players like Ben Manenti and JJ Smuts showed that they belong on the big stage, and their presence added a unique flavor to the Kolkata leg of the tournament.

What’s Next: The Super 8s

With this win, the West Indies march into the Super 8s as the top seed from Group C. They will now join India, South Africa, and Zimbabwe in what is already being called the "Group of Death."

Upcoming West Indies Super 8 Fixtures:

• Feb 23: vs Zimbabwe (Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai)

• Feb 26: vs South Africa (Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad)

• Mar 1: vs India (Eden Gardens, Kolkata)

If Shai Hope continues his form and Shamar Joseph keeps firing thunderbolts, the two-time champions look like the team to beat as the tournament moves into the business end in India and Sri Lanka.

Stay tuned for more updates as we head into the Super 8 stage of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026!