The West Indian star got to his fourth T20 century.
Three years ago, Shai Hope was not a certainty in the West Indian T20I XI. But three years can do a lot to a person, and it certainly has for Shai Hope. The 32-year-old scored a scintillating century in the DSG vs PC SA20 clash in Durban, carrying the Pretoria Capitals to a respectable total of 201/4.
Apart from the first boundary that came off the inside edge in the first over, Shai Hope was completely in control throughout his innings. He never lost his balance while going for an expansive shot, and batted with composure despite wickets falling around him.
What stood out for the West Indian wicketkeeper-batter was his game awareness. Hope was able to grace the fine line between caution, and he moulded his game as per the requirement. Moreover, he never looked desperate to go berserk and was mindful enough to keep rotating the strike after boundaries.
His knock of an unbeaten 118 off just 69 balls saw him hit nine boundaries and as many maximums, at a strike-rate of a touch above 171. Having gone unsold at the IPL 2026 auction, franchise would now be scratching their heads after seeing him play like he did in Durban.
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To be honest, Shai Hope not getting picked by a single franchise in the IPL 2026 auction was a shocker. Considering that most of the teams were on the lookout for an opener, the West Indian star should have been on their radars, provided his wicketkeeping dimension.
Over the course of the last three years, Hope has worked immensely on his balance, especially to cater to the shortest format of the game. He is one of the West Indian batters to hold a century in each of the three formats – something which speaks volumes about his versatility.
A calm head on his shoulders is what separates Shai Hope from a lot of other batters. The 32-year-old is a wonderful reader of the game, and understands when to put his foot on the accelerator. Though he would be happy with his century, the Capitals getting to just 201 would be a cause of concern.
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