DIVYA DELHI : West Indies posted a massive 254 at the Wankhede Stadium and then sealed a dominant win over Zimbabwe in their T20 World Cup clash, thanks largely to a superb spin display from Akeal Hosein and Gudakesh Motie. Hosein struck early in the powerplay, removing Brian Bennett and Ryan Burl, and finished with 3 for 28. Motie took over after the powerplay and ran through Zimbabwe’s middle order, claiming 4 for 28, including back-to-back wickets in the 11th over. Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis praised the tactical use of the two spinners, highlighting Hosein’s control in the powerplay and Motie’s ability to “shut the game down” in the middle overs. He noted that both bowled slightly slower on a gripping red-soil pitch, which made the difference. The pair combined for impressive figures of 7 for 56 from eight overs, outclassing Zimbabwe’s attack. Earlier, Shimron Hetmyer (85 off 34), Rovman Powell (59 off 35) and Sherfane Rutherford (31* off 13) powered West Indies to their imposing total. However, du Plessis cautioned that the real challenge lies ahead. With South Africa and India up next in the Super Eight stage, he said the spinners will face a far sterner examination, especially against India’s left-handed heavy batting line-up. West Indies now turn their focus to tougher contests as the tournament intensifies.
