West Indies captain Shai Hope produced one of the best rescue acts of his career to score a sensational unbeaten 109 to equal Brian Lara’s 19 ODI hundreds during the second ODI against New Zealand in Napier. His masterful knock lifted West Indies from a precarious position to a competitive 247, giving the visitors a vital boost after a shaky start.
This was Hope’s first ODI hundred against New Zealand, completing his set of centuries against every Test-playing nation. He is now second on the list of West Indies ODI hundreds behind only Chris Gayle.
Most ODI hundreds for West Indies
- Chris Gayle – 25
- Shai Hope – 19
- Brian Lara – 19
- Desmond Haynes – 17
Hope, the West Indies captain and wicket-keeper batsman, also crossed 6000 ODI runs during the innings, becoming the second fastest West Indian to reach the milestone. His 109 not out came off just 69 balls, including 13 fours and four sixes, and secured the visitors 111 runs in the last nine overs.
Earlier, New Zealand took full advantage of the conditions after opting to bowl first. Kyle Jamieson and Matt Henry were excellent with the new ball, generating movement in both directions and forcing frequent plays and mistakes. John Campbell’s lean run continued when he fell for four in the sixth over, with Jamieson making an early breakthrough.
The first goal triggered a dramatic slide. West Indies lost three more wickets in the 10th, 12th and 15th overs, slumping to 86 for five in the 16th over. Jamieson, Nathan Smith and Mitchell Santner struck remarkable knocks as the innings threatened to fall apart.
In the midst of the collapse, Hope stood firm. He mixed caution with calculated aggression to keep the innings afloat and found brief but valuable support from Justin Greaves, whose 44-run partnership with the captain steadied the West Indies. Starts from Nyeem Young and Teddy Bishop failed to materialize, placing even more responsibility on the captain’s shoulders.
Hope’s acceleration in the closing stages completely changed the tone of the innings. Lower-order contributions from Romario Shepherd and Matthew Forde helped keep the momentum going and gave Hope the freedom to dominate the scoring. His late onslaught ensured West Indies finished much stronger than their early struggles suggested.
– The end
Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
November 19, 2025
