West Indies captain Shai Hope smashed an unbeaten 102 off 50 balls to power his side to 247 for three against India in the fourth Twenty20 International in Hyderabad on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, delivering a blistering innings that featured nine sixes and four boundaries.
The visiting side used the decision to bat first, racing out of the blocks and piling intense pressure on the Indian attack. Hope reached his milestone in style by driving the final delivery of the innings over the rope, cementing a dominant batting display that exposed the hosts’ bowling frailties on a high-scoring night at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
Loving life in India is the skipper! 💥🏏#INDvWI | #MenInMaroon pic.twitter.com/PjqSMeeFQH
West Indies Punish India in Powerplay
The West Indies hammered 79 runs in the first six overs alone, equalling the joint-highest six-over score against India in T20 Internationals. New Zealand had previously established that identical mark earlier in the year in Trivandrum.
Jewel Andrew contributed before falling to Axar Patel. Shimron Hetmyer then maintained the scoring rate with a quickfire 33 off 12 balls, striking four boundaries and two sixes before Prince Yadav checked the momentum with a caught-and-bowled dismissal.
Elite Company 💥🏏Shai Hope becomes the fourth man to score 2️⃣0️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ runs for the West Indies in T20Is. #INDvWI | #MenInMaroon pic.twitter.com/qFGWkQxUUC
Hope and Rutherford Drive Late Run Surge
He brought up his half-century in 28 balls before accelerating toward three figures as Rovman Powell added 24 runs from 17 deliveries.
Sherfane Rutherford joined his captain at the crease to put on an unbroken 91-run stand off just 43 balls. Rutherford finished with 49 not out from 26 deliveries, hitting four fours and three sixes. India’s bowling attack struggled to contain the flow of runs in the closing stages, as Mayank Yadav and Arshdeep Singh each conceded 52 runs across their four overs.
India entered the fourth match holding a two-to-one lead in the five-match series under captain Shreyas Iyer, following a victory in Indore. Heading into the contest, the visiting team made lineup adjustments that included bringing back Romario Shepherd.
Franchises Target West Indies Captain
Across four appearances in the T20 series, Hope accumulated 261 runs featuring 17 fours and 20 sixes at a strike rate of 190.51 and an average of 130.50, drawing attention from Indian Premier League franchises. With a mini-auction approaching, several teams needing a reliable wicketkeeper-batter are expected to target the top-order star.
Captain FANTASTIC. ✨🤩The first West Indian with 3️⃣ T20I 💯s. 🔥#INDvWI | #MenInMaroon pic.twitter.com/N2Y7JGUUxF
Analysts note that Hope offers value for money because he can be acquired without demanding the retainers typically associated with marquee global names. Mumbai Indians could target the West Indies skipper to fill their wicketkeeping vacancy at a cost of two or three crore rupees. Meanwhile, the Lucknow Super Giants also require a wicketkeeper following Rishabh Pant’s return to the Delhi Capitals, making Hope a logical tactical fit for the upcoming campaign.
🚨 HUNDRED BY SHAI HOPE. 🚨- This is one remarkable India tour for Hope. He’s hammering centuries for fun, his 2nd T20i hundred of the series. AN EFFORT TO REMEMBER FROM THE WEST INDIES CAPTAIN. 🫡🔥 pic.twitter.com/q5zWCVc2TP