Shai Hope Joins Chris Gayle, Brian Lara in Elite List After West Indies’ Historic Win Over Pakistan

Shai Hope also is the only West Indies batter after the legendary Chris Gayle to score a hundred acorss all three formats of international cricket.

Shai Hope Joins Chris Gayle, Brian Lara in Elite List After West Indies’ Historic Win Over Pakistan

Shai Hope, with his 18th hundred, is now ranked third on the list of West Indies players with most hundreds in ODIs. (via India Today)

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West Indies’ ODI captain Shai Hope led by example, as he scored a hundred in his side’s massive 202-run victory over Pakistan, in the final ODI of a three-match series. The impressive knock also placed him on an elite list of West Indies centurions, alongside legends Chris Gayle and Brian Lara. 

With the series tied 1-1, the West Indies cricket team stepped onto the pitch at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad, with a chance to reverse a string of poor results. Their performance throughout the year had been underwhelming, with the sole exception of a 1-0 win against Ireland. Their year began with a drawn Test series against Pakistan, followed by whitewash defeats to both England and Australia.

After losing the first match, the Windies mounted a comeback, winning the next two ODIs to clinch their first major series victory of the year. The decisive victory in Tarouba was a 202-run win, where captain Shai Hope was named Player of the Match for his display. He helped the team post a competitive first innings total of 294, with Justin Greaves, Roston Chase, and Evin Lewis being the other key contributors.

The 31-year-old crafted a composed, unbeaten innings of 120 runs from 94 balls, which included ten fours and five sixes. Shai Hope’s effort was complemented by Greaves, who provided a rapid 43 runs off 34 deliveries. Pakistan’s chase was a disastrous display, as they were bowled out for just 92 runs. Pacer Jayden Seales played a crucial role in the collapse, claiming his first-ever six-wicket haul in an ODI.

Shai Hope’s exceptional performance helped him secured his place on an elite list of the West Indies’ greatest batters. In his 142nd ODI, the 31-year-old registered his 18th century, as he surpassed Desmond Haynes, who had 17 centuries. Hope now holds the third position on West Indies’ all-time list of highest centurions in ODIs, with the list being led by Chris Gayle (25 hundreds) and Brian Lara (19 centuries).

Furthermore, Hope also became the seventh-highest run-scorer for the West Indies in ODIs, surpassing Ramnaresh Sarwan with a total of 5,879 runs in 137 innings. His batting average of 50.24 is the highest among all West Indian players who have scored over 1,000 ODI runs. Hope’s century was also his fifth-ever as captain, which ties him with legend Brian Lara’s record.

Hope also accomplished a rare feat by becoming only the third wicketkeeper-captain to score an ODI hundred against Pakistan, joining legends MS Dhoni and AB de Villiers. With his five centuries as captain, Hope is now second on the list of most tons by a keeper-captain in ODIs, trailing Dhoni’s record.

Shai Hope and Jayden Seales Help West Indies Break 34-Year-Old Jinx Against Pakistan

In a stunning display, the West Indies secured a 202-run victory over Pakistan in the final ODI of their home series, which brought an end to a 34-year winless streak against the team. The heroes of the final match were captain Shai Hope, and fast-bowler Jayden Seales.

West Indies 34-year-long drought end
Shai Hope-led West Indies ended their 34-year-long drought of not having won an ODI series against Pakistan. (via ESPN Cricinfo)

This win in the third and final match allowed the Windies to finally break their long-standing 34-year drought of not winning a bilateral ODI series against Pakistan. The last time the West Indies had emerged victorious in such a series was in November 1991. Under the captaincy of Richie Richardson, the team had defeated a formidable Pakistani side, led by Imran Khan, with a 2-0 series win away from home. 

Prior to the ODI series, the two teams had competed in a Test series earlier in January, and a T20I series. The two Test matches concluded in a stalemate, with each team winning one match. However, the T20I series saw Pakistan emerge as the dominant side, winning the series 2-1.