Shai Hope showed oppositions exactly how big a threat he possesses, smashing an unbeaten 82 off just 39 balls to power West Indies to a resounding nine-wicket win over United States in their Super 8s, ICC T20 World Cup 2024 clash. Chasing a 129-run target, the Windies romped home in just 10.5 overs at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, not only winning with ease but also giving their net run rate a massive boost. (Highlights | Scorecard | Full Coverage)
Hope smashed eight sixes and four fours in an incredible exhibition of ball striking, leaving the USA bowlers harried and helpless. He was well supported by Nicholas Pooran at the other end, who too stayed not out at 27 off 12 balls.
What this massive victory margin means is that West Indies now have the highest NRR in Group 2, and a win in their last Super Eight game over South Africa will guarantee Rovman Powell's side a spot in the semi-finals.
Earlier, Roston Chase had a ball during the United States innings, taking a wicket off his first over and ending with figures of 3-19 in his four overs to help bundle out USA for a 128-run total in 19.5 overs. While Shai Hope ran away with the game in the chase, it was Roston Chase who set it up with his crucial three-wicket haul, and the off-spinner was hence named the Player Of The Match.
Chase's bowling analysis was his T20I career-best, and he was glad to achieve that at his home ground. "To do it at home is a great feeling, with my parents and my friends watching. It's something we talked about in the team meeting that if we don't get too many wickets in the powerplay, it's on the spinners to come back and pull the game back and that's what we did today," he said after the Windies win.
Andre Russell (3.5-0-31-3) too picked up three wickets and together, the duo made life difficult for the opposition batters.
USA's stand-in captain Aaron Jones, who led the side in the absence of the injured Monank Patel, rued not putting up a better show with the bat on a wicket which had enough runs.
“(It was a) tough night for the boys. We had to score about 170-180 today. In the middle overs, we lost wickets in clusters, it goes like that sometimes. At the end of the day, we needed runs on the board,” he said.
Playing XIs
West Indies: Johnson Charles, Shai Hope, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Roston Chase, Rovman Powell (c), Sherfane Rutherford, Andre Russell, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Obed McCoy.
United States: Steven Taylor, Andries Gous (wk), Nitish Kumar, Aaron Jones (c), Corey Anderson, Milind Kumar, Harmeet Singh, Shadley van Schalkwyk, Nosthush Kenjige, Ali Khan, Saurabh Netravalkar.
Though they have suffered back-to-back losses in Super 8s, United States are not mathematically eliminated yet and will take on England in their final fixture.
