'Got to look at luggage weight': Shai Hope jokes after century vs India
West Indies skipper Shai Hope smashed a brilliant century against India in the 4th T20I, joking about the weight of his multiple Player of the Match awards.
West Indies captain Shai Hope is having a dream tour of India, and he isn't shy about making a joke regarding his massive success. After smashing a blistering century to lead his side to victory in the fourth T20I, the skipper humorously noted that his collection of trophies might become a logistical problem for his travel plans.
Hope's incredible form has seen him collect three 'Player of the Match' awards during this tour alone. Reflecting on his recent success, the West Indies leader quipped, "To be honest, those (POTM trophies) were a bit heavy; we got to look at luggage weight. So I think we are gonna have some problems when I go back home with those Player of the Match awards."
A Masterclass in the Fourth T20I
The skipper's innings was nothing short of spectacular. Hope remained unbeaten on 102* off just 50 deliveries, a knock decorated with four boundaries and nine massive sixes. This performance marked his fourth century of the current India tour and his second in the T20I leg.
His explosive batting helped West Indies post a formidable total of 247/3. The innings was supported by key contributions from:
- Shimron Hetmyer: 33 runs off 12 balls
- Sherfane Rutherford: 49* off 26 balls
While India attempted a comeback sparked by a rapid-fire 56 from Sanju Samson and a 70-run partnership between Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy, they ultimately fell 25 runs short of the target. The Indian chase was further hampered when Arshdeep Singh had to retire hurt during the final over.
Navigating a Tricky Surface
Despite the high score, Hope admitted that the pitch presented unique challenges. He noted that the surface held more than the team had initially anticipated, making the defense of 248 runs a tense affair.
"I honestly felt it was a decent score because the surface; it was actually holding a bit more than we thought initially," Hope explained. "With the new ball, some balls were kicking up a lot more and then some were staying down as well. So it is a bit too pace to start, and then obviously with the spinners and the quicks in the back end, it was a little bit more difficult to hit through the line."
Unstoppable Form in 2024
Hope’s statistics for the year are staggering. In his best T20I year to date, he has amassed 601 runs in 16 innings at an average of 50.08 and a strike rate exceeding 152. His dominance against India is particularly noteworthy, with a career record of 1,961 runs in 45 matches, including eight centuries.
With this victory, the series is now locked at 2-2. The fate of the series will be decided in the final match on October 17 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.