Stand-in skipper Harry Manenti chose to chase at Eden Gardens, giving Italy the first crack with the ball in their final group game of this T20 World Cup. West Indies are already through to the Super Eight after three straight wins, while Italy, buoyed by last week’s victory over Nepal, are looking for a respectable send-off.
“We feel the pitch might play its best under lights,” Manenti told the host broadcaster. “If we can keep them to something manageable, we back our hitters.”
Italy have freshened their XI with two switches. Fast bowler Thomas Draca returns, and uncapped batter Syed Naqvi makes his tournament debut. Jaspreet Singh and Marcus Campopiano stand down. Naqvi, who struck a brisk 74 in the warm-ups, bats at No.3.
West Indies resist tinkering. Reserve batter Quentin Sampson stays on the sidelines as Shai Hope, leading in the continued absence of Nicholas Pooran, names an unchanged side. The afternoon, though, belongs to Jason Holder, who becomes only the fifth West Indian to play 300 internationals.
“It’s a special milestone for me,” Holder said moments before taking the field. “I still get the same buzz I did on debut.”
Holder has led the Caribbean attack in this event: seven wickets in three outings at 9.25 runs an over, a figure skewed by death-overs duties. Bowling coach Roddy Estwick praised his influence: “Jason’s control with the new ball allows the others to attack.”
Conditions in Kolkata have offered early seam, then quickened for the chasers, a pattern that encouraged Manenti’s decision. Analyst Lisa Sthalekar noted, “Teams batting second have won five of the last seven night matches here. Italy are playing the odds.”
Even so, Italy’s line-up remains light on international experience; their combined cap tally is 88, compared with West Indies’ 759. To compete, they will rely on left-arm spinner Ali Hasan, who opened the powerplay effectively against Nepal, and all-rounder Grant Stewart’s end-overs yorkers.
Teams
Italy: Justin Mosca, Anthony Mosca, Syed Naqvi, JJ Smuts, Harry Manenti (capt), Ben Manenti, Grant Stewart, Gian Meade (wk), Crishan Kalugamage, Thomas Draca, Ali Hasan.
West Indies: Brandon King, Shai Hope (capt, wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Roston Chase, Sherfane Rutherford, Rovman Powell, Jason Holder, Matthew Forde, Akeal Hosein, Gudakesh Motie, Shamar Joseph.
First ball is scheduled for 19:30 local time, with a light breeze forecast and the Kolkata crowd already filing into the old stadium’s shaded stands.
