KOLKATA, India — The journey stopped one step short of the semi-finals, but West Indies captain Shai Hope insists his side leaves the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup with pride intact.
Needing victory over India on Sunday to secure their first T20 World Cup semi-final appearance in more than a decade, the Caribbean side fell by five wickets in a pulsating encounter at Eden Gardens. The match was settled in the final over, underscoring just how narrow the margin proved to be.
It was a bitter conclusion to a campaign that had begun in emphatic fashion.
From dominance to disappointment
West Indies stormed through their first five matches with authority, establishing themselves as one of the tournament’s most dangerous sides. Among those victories was a commanding 254 for six against Zimbabwe, the highest total ever recorded by a West Indies team at a T20 World Cup and the third-highest in the tournament’s history.
But momentum shifted in the Super Eight stage. Consecutive defeats to South Africa and India ultimately ended their title ambitions.
Still, Hope believes the broader body of work deserves recognition.
Firepower with the bat
The tournament showcased the explosive talents of Shimron Hetmyer, who finished as the fourth-highest run scorer with 248 runs at an average of 41.33. Hetmyer also rewrote the record books, striking 19 sixes, the most ever in a single T20 World Cup.
Hope himself contributed 217 runs at 36.17, while Sherfane Rutherford delivered remarkable consistency, compiling 183 runs in seven innings at a stunning average of 61.
Reflecting on the batting unit’s efforts, Hope pointed to collective contributions and impactful roles throughout the lineup.
“And then from a batting standpoint, Shimron Hetmyer coming in at number three and doing what he does best, a lot of the batters coming in and contributing to those bigger totals that we got in this tournament. I thought the fielding was okay in patches, but again, we still have many areas that we can improve,” Hope said.
Bowling unit steps forward
Hope was particularly encouraged by the strides made with the ball.
“I thought our bowling was a lot better than previous series, and this is really when you want it to stand out. The bowling, especially in the Powerplay, was really good. I think we had 38 wickets out of 40 in the group stages, so that was amazing in T20 cricket.”
Spin and seam combined effectively throughout the competition. Gudakesh Motie and Jason Holder each claimed 10 wickets, ranking among the tournament’s top performers. Matthew Forde delivered with precision, finishing with the eighth-best economy rate at 6.25.
Meanwhile, Romario Shepherd etched his name into history as the first West Indian to claim a hat-trick at a T20 World Cup.
Hope highlighted those performances in his post-match remarks.
“There’s always positives we can take away, so let’s leave on the positives. Hetty played a really good tournament, Matthew Forde with the new ball, Akeal [Hosein] and Motie taking wickets, Sheppy [Romario Shepherd] with a hat-trick and a fiver.”
Representing the region
For Hope, the tournament was not defined solely by the final standings.
“I thought the guys represented the region well, and I think we all can go home with our heads held high,” the skipper added.
Though the semi-final dream slipped away in Kolkata, the campaign revealed a team capable of explosive scoring, disciplined bowling, and moments of historic achievement.
The disappointment is real. But so too is the belief that this West Indies side has laid a foundation strong enough to build upon, with pride, perspective, and heads held high.
