NELSON, New Zealand — West Indies white-ball captain Shai Hope has expressed satisfaction with his team’s performances and the strides they have made in their ongoing T20I series against New Zealand, even as Sunday’s fourth encounter was cut short by rain, allowing only 6.3 overs of play.
With the series currently 2-1 in favor of the Black Caps, the Windies must win the fifth and final T20I in Dunedin on Thursday to secure a series draw.
Building momentum after Bangladesh sweep
The Windies arrived in New Zealand buoyed by a 3-0 series win over Bangladesh, bringing confidence and rhythm into the series opener. Despite trailing, Hope highlighted that the team had shown grit, skill, and determination in the first three matches.
After a narrow seven-run victory in the opener, the Caribbean side fell by three and nine runs in the second and third games, respectively — margins that underscore the competitiveness of the contest.
Hope lauds teamfight and development
Reflecting on the series so far, Hope said: “I’ve been looking forward to this one; especially coming from Bangladesh, I expected some better surfaces here in New Zealand. I think the guys have been playing really good cricket. It’s just about us trying to progress as a team and it’s great to see the fight that we’ve been showing.”
He acknowledged the narrow defeats but emphasized the value of consistent opportunities to compete at high levels:
“Unfortunately, we didn’t win those last two games, but every time you put yourself in those positions you obviously have a chance to win, so I’m very happy with the progress that we’re making.”
Focus shifts to final match
Although the fourth T20I was rained out, Hope stressed the team’s readiness to regroup:
“We didn’t really get a chance to get out there and maximise in this game, but we’ve still got a chance to level the series and that’s our main focus for the next game.”
With a chance to draw the series in Dunedin, the West Indies remain determined to build on their progress, combining resilience with tactical acumen as they face New Zealand in the decisive final match.
