Shai Hope turned adversity into one of the finest ODI chases of his career, overcoming a finger injury, a demanding 50 overs behind the stumps and the pressure of a 352-run target to smash an unbeaten 162 and power the West Indies to a stunning five-wicket win over India on Saturday.
Hope was initially set to bat lower down the order but was forced to open after an injury scare involving Jewel Andrew. Despite carrying a niggle, the West Indies captain remained at the crease for 48.2 overs and completed a remarkable chase with 10 balls to spare.
The victory was West Indies’ highest successful ODI chase and their first win over India in the format since 2023. India nevertheless clinched the three-match series 2-1.
The chase also overshadowed an outstanding innings from KL Rahul, who marked his return to the series with a career-best unbeaten 129 off 87 balls. Rohit Sharma contributed 92 and Ruturaj Gaikwad 57 as India posted 351/7 after opting to bat.
Hope stands tall as West Indies pull off stunning 352-run chase
Hope’s innings was built around authority and composure. He struck 17 fours and three sixes at a strike rate of 113.29, bringing up his 21st ODI century in the 34th over. It was his second successive hundred and fifth against India.
West Indies made an aggressive start to the chase, with Hope and John Campbell collecting eight boundaries in the opening four overs. Mohammed Siraj eventually broke the stand by bowling Campbell for 10, shortly after Gurnoor Brar had dropped him at third man.
Amir Jangoo then joined Hope and kept the scoring rate high. The pair added 109 from 103 deliveries, with both batters benefiting from dropped chances. Jangoo survived when Virat Kohli failed to hold a catch at point before eventually being run out for 67 following a mix-up.
Jangoo’s dismissal brought Sherfane Rutherford to the crease, but he managed only 24 before edging behind against debutant Naman Dhir. Hope, meanwhile, continued to dictate the chase, mixing powerful sweeps and heaves with superb back-foot strokes.
Keemo Paul provided another acceleration with 44 from 35 balls, adding 65 with Hope before Brar dismissed him at deep square leg. Matthew Forde fell soon after to Kuldeep Yadav, leaving West Indies needing 66 from seven overs.
Hope then shifted gears decisively. He swept Kuldeep for four and followed it with an 83-metre six in the 45th over as the required rate came down.
The 48th over effectively ended India’s hopes. Anshul Kamboj overstepped with Hope on 146, allowing the captain to hammer the resulting no-ball over mid-on for his 150. He followed it with another boundary from the free hit, while Gudakesh Motie added two more fours as 22 runs came from the over.
Hope finished the contest in style, launching Dhir over deep backward square leg for six to bring West Indies level before calmly taking a single to long-off to complete the chase.
The West Indies’ pursuit was aided by a sloppy fielding display from both sides. Nine catches went down during the match – six by West Indies and three by India – equalling the ODI record.
India’s innings had begun in disastrous fashion. Shubman Gill, who had scored a century and a double century in the first two matches, fell for one when Hope took a catch down the leg side off Jayden Seales.
Kohli followed without scoring, bowled by Seales after missing a flick as the ball held its line and crashed into the stumps. India were 4/2 inside three overs.
Rohit and Gaikwad rebuilt the innings, although India managed only 28/2 during the Powerplay. Rohit gradually increased the tempo and, during his 92, became the fastest opener to reach 10,000 ODI runs, getting there in 202 innings.
Gaikwad survived four dropped chances and made the most of them, striking four sixes in his 57 from 69 balls. He and Rohit put together 137 before Rohit fell eight short of a century, top-edging a pull to deep mid-wicket off Paul.
Seales then removed Gaikwad, who failed to control a rising delivery and lobbed it to backward point, leaving India at 160/4.
Rahul, playing his first ODI of the series, initially focused on rotation of strike before finding another gear. Naman Dhir added valuable impetus with 30 from 21 balls, including sixes against Joseph and Motie, while Rahul brought up his fifty from 41 deliveries.
After Dhir fell, Nitish Kumar Reddy was dismissed for nine. Debutant Anshul Kamboj then provided late fireworks with two sixes in a Motie over before being run out for 17.
Rahul took control in the final overs, reaching his ninth ODI century from 80 balls after helping a Seales delivery over fine leg. He remained unbeaten and added another surge to India’s total, which saw 105 runs come from the final 10 overs.
But even India’s late acceleration proved insufficient as Hope produced a chase for the ages.