Hope credits Dhoni’s advice after leading WI to thrilling win over England

West Indies ODI skipper Shai Hope credited a chat he had with former India captain MS Dhoni after leading the Caribbeans to a thrilling four-wicket over England with his fastest ODI ton in the first of the three-match series in Antigua on Sunday. 

Hope smashed four boundaries and seven sixes for his unbeaten 83-ball 109. He took 82 balls to reach his ton having got there by smashing England pacer Sam Curran for a second six in the 49th over. 

On the following delivery, he took Curran for another maximum to finish off proceedings, chasing down England's 326-run target with seven balls to spare.

"A very, very famous person, MS Dhoni told me while we were having chat, 'You always have a lot more time than you think,'" Hope said in the post-match press conference.

"That's one thing that has stuck with me throughout the years I've been playing ODI cricket," he added. 

It was West Indies' highest-ever ODI run chase against England, surpassing the 286 they managed at Lord's in 2004, and their second-highest against any opponents, just five runs short of the 331/5 they managed when defeating Ireland in Malahide in 2019.

England were hoping to put their World Cup failure behind them and when West Indies slumped to 213-5 in the 38th over it appeared that they were in control.

But Hope, in partnership with the explosive Romario Shepherd, turned the match on its head as they put on 89 in 51 balls for the sixth wicket.

Shepherd was eventually out for 48 having hit three sixes but by then Hope was well and truly in the groove.
Hope took over as West Indies' full-time ODI captain earlier this year. He oversaw an unsuccessful attempt at World Cup qualification in Zimbabwe.