Shai Hope Carves His Name Beside Chris Gayle in Cricket History
Shai Hope just did what only one other West Indian had ever managed before – and that’s no small feat when you consider the legends that have worn the maroon cap. In the third T20I against Australia at Warner Park, St. Kitts, Hope hammered his maiden century in international T20s, turning heads with a massive unbeaten 102 off just 57 balls. With this, he’s now the second West Indian after Chris Gayle to score hundreds in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. For a player once regarded as a classic red-ball technician, that’s a serious flex in the age of power hitters.
Hope didn’t do it alone. He and Brandon King laid down an opening stand worth 125 runs—remarkable in any T20 setting. King chipped in with 62 before being caught, but it was Hope who took off. Raining down a total of 12 sixes, he went at a strike rate above 170. Watching Hope flip the switch from patient anchor to clear-the-ropes aggressor left cricket fans doing a double take. By the end of the innings, West Indies had set a scary-looking 214 for 4 on the board.
Records, Chases, and an Australian Response
Normally, a total north of 210 would spell big trouble for any side. But Australia had other ideas. Tim David, often an underrated T20 finisher, took the limelight with an astonishing century of his own—102 off 52 balls. He didn’t just turn the game; he flipped it on its head, guiding Australia to a six-wicket win with a sky-high strike rate and ruthless intent. For the stats obsessed: Australia chased down the target with 23 balls left, notching up their fourth-highest successful T20I chase ever. Yes, you read that right – 215 chased in less than 17 overs.
Hope’s effort still stands out—he’s now among a select group of West Indians with T20I hundreds, joining Chris Gayle, Evin Lewis, Johnson Charles, and Rovman Powell. But what sets Hope apart is his triple-century record across the international formats—a club so exclusive, you can count the members on one hand.
Before this landmark, Hope had already stamped his name on the world stage with 17 ODI centuries and a couple in Tests, proving that adaptability isn’t just about slogging—it’s about understanding the game, tweaking your approach, and rising to the moment.
The series, though, isn’t playing out in West Indies’ favor. Down 3-0, they’ll be desperate to shake things up in the fourth T20I on July 26. For Hope, this hundred feels bigger than a personal milestone—it’s a signal to rivals that the West Indies still know how to produce generational batting talent. If the next game is anything like this one, good luck looking away.
