Shai Hope: Regardless of the format or the type of ball, if Team India is the opposition, you can be certain that Shai Hope’s bat will deliver. After scoring back-to-back centuries against Team India in the ODI series, the West Indies captain also smashed a brilliant half-century in the first match of the T20 series.
He scored 52 runs off 37 balls in the Lucknow T20. Hope completed his half-century by hitting a magnificent six off Naman Dhir’s bowling, though the off-spinner managed to even the score on the very next delivery.
How Naman Dhir got his revenge on Shai Hope
On the third ball of the 12th over, Naman Dhir bowled a delivery that Shai Hope hit for a six, bringing up his half-century. However, on the very next ball, Dhir trapped Hope in his spin web.
Hope failed to generate enough power in his shot, and Axar Patel, stationed at mid-wicket, took the catch. This wicket was special for Naman Dhir as it marked the first of his T20 career.
Remarkably, he dismissed Romario Shepherd in the exact same manner in his next over. Shepherd hit a six off the first ball of the 14th over bowled by Dhir, only for the bowler to claim his wicket on the very next delivery.
Shai Hope Achieves a Special Milestone
Shai Hope continued his fine form. After scoring 104 and an unbeaten 162 against India in the ODI series, Hope scored 52 runs off 37 balls in Lucknow.
He surpassed Nicholas Pooran to become the West Indies player with the most scores of 50 or more in T20s; this marked the 14th time Hope has achieved such a score.
Although Shai Hope is generally regarded as an ODI specialist, he has also amassed 1,795 runs in 69 T20 International innings at an average of 30.4, including one century and 13 half-centuries.
