Bristol: Shai Hope believes the West Indies are one of the frontrunners to breach 500-run total in ODIs, once unthinkable but now a real possibility.
Scores in excess of 350 have become a norm these days, and sporadically, teams are also having a go at 400 plus totals in the 50-over format.
World Cup hosts England, are the current record holders for the highest total in ODIs having blasted 481 against Australia at Trent Bridge last year. They are chasing the milestone – but Hope believes his teammates have what it takes to trouble the history books.
“It is definitely a goal we can try to achieve at some point. Definitely, it would be great to be the first team to cross that 500-run mark and I am sure we have the batting firepower to do it,” Hope said after his team’s warm-up game against New Zealand played Tuesday evening which the Windies won.
With a century under his belt in the final warm-up game against New Zealand, the in-form Hope spearheaded West Indies’ mammoth total of 421 here – their highest-ever score in the limited overs format.
With T20 star Andre Russell, who smashed 54 off just 25 balls, and the likes of Chris Gayle and Shimron Hetmyer also in their ranks, Jason Holder’s side is perfectly poised to go even bigger in the coming years.
Hope, who has three tons and two half centuries under his belt since March, is in fine fettle heading into the showpiece.
“I would say my mindset has changed slightly,” Hope pointed out. “I haven’t really changed too much in terms of my preparation, how I go about things. But, as I said it is about adapting to the style of play, finding ways to be as consistent as I can be,” he added.
Ranked eighth in the world and heading into their tournament opener Friday against Pakistan, the Windies Indies start as outsiders to lift the World Cup. But in Russell, they have one of limited overs cricket’s true match-winners, something that is not lost on his teammate.
“He (Russell) is just incredible – a freak of nature really,” Hope said. “I don’t really know what to say about Russ, he just hits it and once he hits it, it goes for six. It is a pleasure to be on the same team as him, I can tell you that. If you are on the field you are not sure what you are going to bowl at him. It is just nice to enjoy from the inside,” added Hope.
Agencies
