Shai Hope’s 162 Steals India’s ODI Sweep After T20 Glory
News Desk
Islamabad: India ended the day celebrating another T20 triumph over Pakistan, but their celebrations were tempered by an extraordinary West Indies chase that denied them a clean sweep in the ODI series.
On a day of contrasting fortunes, India’s T20 side defeated Pakistan by 19 runs in the Asian Games final in Japan to claim a second consecutive gold medal. Hours later, their ODI team watched a remarkable unbeaten 162 from West Indies captain Shai Hope power the visitors to a record chase of 352 in New Chandigarh.
The result gave West Indies a five-wicket victory and prevented India from completing a 3-0 series sweep after wins in Thiruvananthapuram and Guwahati.
India dominate Pakistan again
In the Asian Games final, India produced another commanding performance against their fiercest rivals.
After being asked to bat, India posted 211-6 from their 20 overs, with Abhishek Sharma setting the tone with a blistering 61 from just 28 deliveries. Tilak Varma added an unbeaten 51 from 22 balls, while Shivam Dube contributed a rapid 27 off 15.
Pakistan’s chase quickly came under pressure after they slipped to 39-3. Hasan Nawaz kept the contest alive with a powerful 96 from 51 balls, but Pakistan eventually finished on 192-6.
India’s 19-run victory extended their remarkable dominance over Pakistan in T20 internationals, marking their seventh consecutive win over their rivals and their 14th victory in 18 meetings.
The gold medal also confirmed India’s status as the defending Asian Games champions. They had won the men’s T20 gold on their Asian Games debut in China in 2022 and successfully defended the title in Japan.
Hope turns the tables in New Chandigarh
While India were celebrating in Japan, the mood was very different in New Chandigarh.
India had appeared to be in control after posting 351-7, particularly after recovering from a disastrous start that left them at 4-2.
KL Rahul anchored the innings with an unbeaten 129 from 87 balls, while Rohit Sharma scored 92 from 85 deliveries and Ruturaj Gaikwad added 57 from 69.
The total looked formidable, but West Indies produced one of their most impressive ODI chases.
Hope, who had already scored a century in the previous match, delivered another extraordinary innings. The West Indies captain remained unbeaten on 162 from 143 balls, striking 17 fours and three sixes as he guided his team through the chase.
His final six, a slog sweep over deep fine leg off Naman Dhir, brought the scores level. Hope then calmly completed the victory with a single to long-off, sealing a five-wicket win with 10 balls remaining.
A captain who never left the field
Hope’s performance was even more remarkable because of the workload he carried throughout the match.
He kept wicket for all 50 overs before opening the batting for West Indies and carrying his team across the finish line.
His innings was built around a series of crucial partnerships. He first shared a 109-run stand with Amir Jangoo, who scored 67, before adding further half-century partnerships with Keemo Paul and Gudakesh Motie.
The victory represented West Indies’ highest successful ODI chase and ensured that India could not complete what had appeared to be an inevitable series sweep.
Drama adds to West Indies’ victory
The chase was not without controversy.
Sherfane Rutherford was given out caught behind for 24 off Dhir. The decision remained unchanged after a review, although Rutherford appeared convinced that the spike detected by Snicko came from the ball hitting his pad rather than his bat.
His dismissal left West Indies at 206-3 after 30 overs, but Hope continued to keep the chase firmly on course.
At the other end, India’s earlier batting collapse had also provided West Indies with an opening. Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli fell to successive deliveries from Jayden Seales in the third over.
Gill, who had produced an unbeaten 223 in the second ODI during India’s successful chase of 406, edged behind and was dismissed by a one-handed diving catch from Hope.
Kohli followed immediately, bowled for a golden duck as Seales crashed the ball into his middle stump.
Five T20s now await
The two teams will quickly turn their attention to the shortest format, with India and West Indies scheduled to meet in a five-match T20 series beginning in Lucknow on Tuesday.
Several members of India’s Asian Games-winning squad, including Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma and Shreyas Iyer, are expected to join the T20 group. Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is also among the players travelling for the series.
For India, the contrasting results provide a reminder of cricket’s unpredictable nature: one side celebrated another historic victory over Pakistan, while another saw a seemingly commanding ODI position disappear through one extraordinary individual performance.
For West Indies, Hope’s unbeaten 162 will stand as the defining moment of the day — an innings that transformed a daunting target into a record-breaking victory and ended India’s hopes of a series whitewash.
