Shai Hope Smashes Historic 162 to Crush India in New Chandigarh
West Indies captain Shai Hope smashed a historic 162 to lead a massive ODI chase against India, setting multiple new records in New Chandigarh.
West Indies captain Shai Hope has etched his name into the history books with a monumental, unbeaten 162, powering his side to a historic five-wicket victory over India in the third and final ODI at New Chandigarh.
A Record-Breaking Masterclass
In a breathtaking display of batting, the 31-year-old Hope reached 162 off just 143 deliveries, an innings decorated with 17 boundaries and three towering sixes. This spectacular knock did more than just win a match; it rewrote the record books in several ways:
- Highest Chase Score: Hope’s 162 is now the highest individual score by a West Indies batter in a successful ODI run chase, surpassing the 162 previously held by Chris Gayle.
- Dominance Against India: He is the first West Indies batter to score 150 or more in a successful ODI chase against India. Furthermore, his 162 stands as the highest individual score by any batter in an ODI run chase against India, eclipsing legends like Sanath Jayasuriya, Andrew Strauss, and Tillakaratne Dilshan.
- Captain's Milestone: This performance marks Hope's 21st ODI century, making him the joint-third fastest to the milestone alongside Quinton de Kock and David Warner. He also becomes the most prolific wicketkeeper-captain in ODI history with eight centuries, moving past MS Dhoni's six.
The Great Chase
Chasing a massive target of 352, the West Indies found themselves in early trouble after the dismissal of John Campbell. However, Hope found a vital partner in Amir Jangoo, who played a fluent 67 off 56 balls to steady the ship. Following Jangoo's departure, Sherfane Rutherford (24) and Keemo Paul (44) provided crucial support to the skipper.
The finishing touches were provided by Gudakesh Motie, who joined Hope for a rapid 62-run fifth-wicket partnership. Motie launched an aggressive assault in the 48th over against Anshul Kamboj, helping the West Indies reach 352/5 with 10 balls to spare, completing their highest successful run chase in ODI history.
India's Efforts Fall Short
Earlier, India posted a formidable 351/7, largely thanks to a brilliant century from KL Rahul. Rahul's 129 came off just 80 balls, marking the second-fastest of his nine ODI hundreds. He was supported by Rohit Sharma, who scored 92 and became only the fourth opener in history to reach 10,000 ODI runs, and Ruturaj Gaikwad, who added 57.
For the West Indies bowling unit, Jayden Seales was the standout performer, claiming 3/62. Keemo Paul and Gudakesh Motie contributed with two and one wicket respectively to restrict the Indian total.
India's bowling attack saw wickets from Mohammed Siraj, Gurnoor Brar, Kuldeep Yadav, and Naman Dhir, but it was not enough to halt the momentum of Hope's historic innings.