Shai Hope's unbeaten 102 in Ranchi boosts IPL prospects after record T20I chase

Shai Hope scored an unbeaten 102 to lead West Indies to a six-wicket win over India in the second T20I in Ranchi on Friday, an innings that has brought his T20 credentials back into focus ahead of the IPL mini-auction in December.

West Indies all-rounder Roston Chase said Hope remains underrated and praised the captain's ability to ignore criticism and perform under pressure. "I think people underrate Shai Hope a lot. He is a guy who can block out a lot of noise and focus on what he has to do. I think that is his special skill because, when everything seems to be going wrong, he is still out there giving his best and performing for the team. I think that is his hallmark," Chase said.

West Indies were chasing 250 and had slipped to 58 for three before Hope and Sherfane Rutherford put together a 120-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Rutherford scored 84 off 37 balls, while Hope finished unbeaten on 102 off 45 balls, striking nine sixes as West Indies completed their highest successful chase in men's T20Is and the highest successful chase against India in the format; the win levelled the five-match series at 1-1.

Hope has attracted criticism for his scoring rate at times, notably after scoring 32 off 33 balls against India at the T20 World Cup, but Chase highlighted the work Hope has put into power-hitting. "Firstly, he has done a lot of gym work to make himself stronger and more powerful, particularly when it comes to hitting the ball over the ropes and striking it better. I think he also practises a lot of range-hitting to get into those strong positions and get his body accustomed to hitting the ball from those positions. I think that has worked for him over the past couple of years, during which he has been working on it tremendously," Chase said.

Hope's form has carried across formats: he scored 278 runs in three innings during the recent ODI series against India, including a century in Guwahati and an unbeaten 162 in West Indies' successful chase of 352 in the final ODI, then made 52 in the opening T20I before his match-winning hundred in Ranchi.

Hope last played in the IPL for Delhi Capitals in 2024, scoring 183 runs in nine matches at a strike rate of 150, and has not returned to the tournament since. Chase underlined Hope's professionalism after the innings: "I am always happy when I see him do well because I know he is a very professional guy. He puts in the hard work, and he is the ultimate professional. He tries to tick every box and do the right things all the time. So, whenever he puts in these performances, I am very happy for him."

With the IPL mini-auction scheduled for December, Hope's century in Ranchi has strengthened the case for another opportunity in the league, though whether that will result in a franchise signing him remains to be seen.