Shai Hope celebrates bringing up his fifty against the USA.
ICC/Getty Images
For a long time, West Indies ODI skipper Shai Hope was looked at as a batsman who would struggle in the shortest form of the game because of what many described as an inability to score quickly.
Over the last couple years, however, Hope has rubbished those sentiments thanks to some destructive batting performances in the CPL as well as in leagues around the world.
His evolution as a T20 batsman was none more evident than during the West Indies’ game against the USA at the ICC T20 World Cup on Friday in his home country of Barbados.
Looking to bounce back from a loss to England in their first game of the Super 8 on Wednesday, the joint hosts dismissed their American counterparts for 128 after losing the toss at the Kensington Oval.
The West Indians then needed only 10.5 overs to reach 130-1, with Hope finishing 82* off just 39 balls. In a brilliant display of power hitting, Hope hit eight sixes and four fours on the way to his highest score in T20 Internationals.
“Clinical,” was how Hope described the team’s performance on Friday in a post-match press conference.
“Especially coming off the loss that we had a couple days ago. It's great to see the guys understood the assignment today and we played the cricket that we wanted to play. It's important for us to continue in this vein because we see what's at stake now. But yeah, very happy with the bounce back that we did today and there's a lot more cricket to play and we're looking forward to it,” he added.
On his own individual performance, Hope was happy to perform in front of his home crowd.
“Yeah, it was an amazing crowd. It's nice to see everyone came out and support us today. Something that we get in the Caribbean when we're doing well, we tend to see a lot more supporters out there. So that means we must be doing something right if you've got a solo crowd. But yeah, the crowd was rocking today,” he said.
“I thought that the support was amazing. Again, I'm from Barbados so playing in front of this lovely crowd meant a lot more to me. Scoring some runs and winning the game for the team felt even more special so I'm very happy to do that,” Hope added.
At the start of the tournament, Hope was on the outside of the XI looking in. He missed the first three games before coming into the side ahead of Roston Chase in the third game against Afghanistan where he 25 batting at number four.
The 30-year-old was then left out once again for the Super 8 opener against England. A side strain suffered by Brandon King during that game meant Hope was given an opportunity at the top of the order against the USA, an opportunity that he grabbed with both hands.
“Yeah, it's a great feeling. Again, whatever the team requires, that's me. Unfortunately, King had to leave us. Hopefully, he recovers quickly. But yeah, I had to go at the top this time around and the aim was just to get off to a good start. You see the importance of finishing the game early as well. So yeah, I had a good time in the middle, good surface and I enjoyed batting tonight,” he said.
“Just have to stay ready in a tournament like this. There's a reason why we have 15 players. All of them need to be ready whenever the time comes,” he added.
Finally, Hope issued a plea to the fans of the West Indies to continue supporting them on their journey to a third ICC T20 World Cup title.
“Keep rallying. That's our motto. We always talk about rallying around the West Indies. That's exactly what we need to keep doing. The team rallying around each other. The fans need to do the same. We're out there fighting for each and every one of us. So, you understand the importance and the magnitude of the tournament. We're playing a home World Cup, something that I'm sure a lot of cricketers over their careers may not get the opportunity to do. We understand the importance of this in particular and we know how much the fans really want us to win so we're fighting, we're doing it for them and it's great to see the support I hope that it continues for the rest of the tournament,” he said.
The West Indies will take on South Africa in their last Super 8 match on Sunday in Antigua.
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'He's probably saving it for the final' – India captain Rohit unconcerned by Kohli's form
Virat Kohli's indifferent form is not concerning India captain Rohit Sharma, who quipped his team-mate is "probably saving it for the final".
India hammered England by 68 runs on Thursday to book their place in the T20 World Cup final, in which they will meet South Africa.
Rohit struck 57 to put India on their way to victory, with their bowlers subsequently skittling England all out for 103.
Kohli, however, managed just nine runs, as the former India skipper's struggles continued. He has scored just 75 runs across seven innings at this edition of the tournament, and has been out for a duck twice.
Rohit, though, has few concerns over Kohli's form.
"Virat is a quality player," Rohit said. "Any player can through that. We understand his class.
"When you have played for 15 years, form is never a problem. He's probably saving it for the final."
Indeed, maintaining their composure will be crucial for India heading into Saturday's clash with the Proteas, so says Rohit.
He added: "We've been very calm. We understand the occasion of the final.
"It's important we stay composed, because that helps you make good decisions. We have been very steady, calm, and that has been the key for us.
"We'll try our best. All I can hope is to put in another good show come the final."
Buttler proud of England's unity amid adversity as T20 World Cup title defence comes to a halt
Jos Buttler says England must be proud of their efforts at the T20 World Cup, despite a humbling end to their campaign.
England slumped to a 68-run defeat to India on Thursday, as their title defence came to an end.
Buttler's team were skittled out for just 103 in Guyana, as India gained revenge for their 10-wicket loss at the same stage two years ago.
It has been a tournament of ups and downs for England, who scraped through the group stage and had to recover from a loss to South Africa in the Super 8s to reach the last four, but India's quality proved too much to handle.
"India outplayed us, certainly. We let them maybe get 20 or 25 too many on a challenging surface that they played well on. They fully deserved to win," Buttler said.
"With everything that's happened in the tournament, I'm really proud of the group's efforts.
"We can only play who's in front of us. We've had a lot of adversity but we have stuck together really well, we played good cricket in patches but unfortunately came up short when we needed it most."
England won the toss after a rain delay and put India in to bat, though Buttler does not feel that was an error.
"With the rain around, we didn't think the conditions would change and they didn't, they just outplayed us and got a very good score," Buttler said.
" I don't think the toss was the difference between us.
"They've got some fantastic spinners. Our two bowled well but in hindsight, yeah, probably should've bowled Moeen [Ali] in our innings with the way spin was playing.
"But with a good score and their brilliant bowling attack, it was always going to be a tough chase."
England capitluate as India reach T20 World Cup final in style
India reached the T20 World Cup final in style as they hammered defending champions England by 68 runs on Thursday.
In a rain-delayed semi-final clash at Guayana National Stadium, an England batting collapse, combined with lethal bowling from Kuldeep Yadav (3-19), Axar Patel (3-23) and Jasprit Bumrah (2-13) ensured tournament favourites India will face South Africa in the showpiece match on Saturday.
Captain Rohit Sharma struck 57 and Suryakumar Yadav plundered 47 as India put on 171-7 from their 20 overs.
England's chase started brightly as skipper Jos Buttler reeled off a series of fours in swift succession, yet his stand lasted just 15 deliveries.
And from losing Buttler with the 19th ball of their innings, England's top order capitulated, with Phil Salt, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali and Sam Curran all following their captain in heading for the pavilion within seven overs.
Harry Brook offered more resistance with a spirited 25, but the damage was already done by the time he was sent packing in the 11th over.
Liam Livingstone and Adil Rashid were run out in the space of three deliveries, and though Jofra Archer rallied with a pair of sixes, England's dismal day came to an end when he was pitched leg-before-wicket by Bumrah.
It marked a memorable triumph for India as they gained a measure of revenge for their 10-wicket loss to England at the same stage in 2022, and the Proteas – who thrashed Afghanistan earlier in the day – are all that stand between them and the trophy.
Data Debrief: Recent history means nothing
India had lost their last two T20 World Cup semi-finals, having batted first on each of those occasions too, but they banished those demons in emphatic fashion this time around.
England had won three of their last four such matches, having bowled first in each of those games, but that record did not continue.
Buttler's future is uncertain, though he did at least take a slice of history with him, with his knock of 23 ensuring he became the fourth England player to score 1,000 runs at the T20 World Cup (1,013).
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