Shai Hope smashes ton in 100th match as West Indies post 311 for 6 in 2nd ODI vs India

West Indies opener Shai Hope scored a hundred in his 100th one-day match as the hosts put up 311 for 6 in the second ODI against India on Sunday (July 24).

Batting first after winning the toss at Port of Spain in Trinidad, Hope (115 off 135) and Windies captain Nicholas Pooran (74 off 77) added 117 to put their team in command. Hope anchored the innings, featuring in a 65-run opening stand with Kyle Mayers (39 off 23) and a second-wicket partnership of 62 with Shamarh Brooks (35 off 36).

West Indies got off to a solid start as neither Hope nor Mayers looked in any kind of trouble. That was until Mayers perished to a soft dismissal, chipping a simple return catch to part-time off-spinner Deepak Hooda. Brooks then joined Hope and the duo continued to keep West Indies on track for a healthy total.

The latter brought up his fifty in style, whacking leggie Yuzvendra Chahal for a maximum over deep square leg. India were in desperate need of a wicket and Axar Patel delivered the goods by sending back Brooks. The set batter edged a good delivery outside off stump to slip, where Indian skipper Shikhar Dhawan took a smart low catch to his left.

Brandon King (0) then gave his wicket away to Chahal to bring India back into the contest. The batter top-edged a slog sweep straight up in the air and was easily caught by Dhawan. King’s dismissal left things in the balance at 130 for 3.

Hope and Pooran then featured in an excellent stand to put the hosts on top again. Pooran was particularly severe on Chahal, launching him over the ropes with ease. The aggressive left-hander clubbed the leggie for two sixes in the 39th over and then reached his fifty in the same over with a single.

At the other end, Hope eased his way into the 90s, anchoring the innings as Pooran kept attacking. Shardul Thakur (3/54) ended the century partnership in the 44th over, cleaning up the Windies captain around his legs as the southpaw walked too far across his stumps.

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Hope carries on for West Indies after Pooran’s exit

Following his captain’s dismissal, Hope reached his hundred in his 100th ODI in brilliant fashion. The right-handed batter danced down the track to Chahal and launched him over his head for a maximum. He celebrated the feat by whacking the next ball wide long-off for another six.

Rovman Powell came in and clobbered Thakur over the long-on ropes. However, the all-rounder had his revenge in the same over as Powell (13) drilled the pacer straight to Shreyas Iyer at long-off. Hope’s excellent innings ended in the penultimate over when he was caught at long-off trying to take on Thakur.

A couple of clean strikes by Romario Shepherd (15*) enabled the hosts to reach 311.