Hope lauds impact of Guyanese duo after demolition of Zimbabwe

MUMBAI, India — The West Indies cricket team continued their relentless march through the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on Monday, dismantling Zimbabwe by a commanding margin at the Wankhede Stadium to collect two crucial points in Group One and edge closer to a semi-final berth.

In a performance dripping with Caribbean flair, it was two Guyanese compatriots who stole the show, with Shimron Hetmyer producing a breathtaking display of power-hitting before Gudakesh Motie spun a web around the Zimbabwean batting order.

Promoted up the order to maximise his destructive capabilities, Hetmyer unleashed carnage on the Mumbai crowd, blasting an astonishing 85 from just 34 deliveries.

The left-hander cleared the boundary rope seven times to go with seven fours, his brutal assault propelling the West Indies to an imposing total that proved well beyond Zimbabwe’s reach.

Captain Shai Hope was glowing in his assessment, suggesting Hetmyer’s new role has unlocked his full potential.

“He’s a quality player, and the way he’s batting, I think sometimes he’s kind of wasted down the bottom in the innings,” Hope said after the match. “He’s such a good player; he can bat in all situations, spin, pace. To utilise him in that phase, he comes out and plays with that freedom that we want him to play with.”

Hope revealed the strategic shift was trialled during the recent South Africa series, with Hetmyer embracing the added responsibility.

“He’s been an asset for us, especially in this tournament. He started with a bang, and he’s continued with that great form. I’m happy to see him scoring runs and everyone supporting him along the way and giving the team a big score for the bowlers to defend.”

If Hetmyer provided the fireworks, Motie supplied the surgical precision. The left-arm orthodox spinner returned magnificent figures of 4 for 28, dismantling the Zimbabwe middle order with a mix of immaculate line and length.

Notably, Motie has been unveiling his new weapon, a wrist-spin variation, which proved particularly lethal against left-handed batters.

Hope revealed that a brief hiatus from international cricket had allowed the spinner to refine his craft.

“Motie, he got a little period before. I was thinking it was the New Zealand series, and he went home and worked on some skills. You can see he’s back to where he was before, and he even added something to his game as well, that wrist spinner,” Hope explained.

“That’s been very crucial for us, especially against the lefties. Sometimes your time away from the game gives you a nice chance to refresh and regroup. He’s in a great space.”

The victory extends the West Indies’ perfect start to the tournament to five wins from five matches, firmly establishing them as one of the form sides in the competition. Attention now turns to a blockbuster clash with South Africa on Thursday.

CMC