“In T20s, effectiveness and efficiency are more important than perception. We love to see the ball going 106m into the crowd. But the same guy may face dots and get a single at the end of the over. I’ll hit three twos and a 60m six at the back end of the over, still scoring more. For me, it’s about scoring off as many deliveries as possible,” he said.
Despite having already qualified for the Super Eights, West Indies opted to field a full-strength side for its final Group C match against Italy. The decision was welcomed by the Italian camp, which viewed it as a mark of respect. Captain Harry Manenti said the move added significance to the contest.
“It was nice seeing West Indies pick their full-strength team. They obviously respected us enough to play their strongest side. So, that was exciting from our point of view — to have the opportunity to play a strong team,” he said.
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Hope said the decision reflected West Indies’ assessment of Italy as a competitive side capable of posing problems. “We saw the threat that Italy posed in the competition. So, no stone was left unturned.”
While Italy has shown signs of growth on the international stage, Manenti pointed to the limited opportunities available to associate nations as a major obstacle to sustained improvement, particularly in T20 cricket.
“The next thing we’ve got is in August — a few blocks of ODI series. That’s our next stepping stone in one-day cricket. Our next T20 game is probably in 2027, which says enough about where we are at the moment. We had a real chance of beating England the other day, but we just don’t play enough cricket to nail it when we get close,” he said.
Published on Feb 19, 2026
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