T20 WC: Shai Hope takes responsibility for West Indies's exit
What's the story
West Indies captain Shai Hope has taken responsibility for his team's elimination from the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup. The West Indies were knocked out of the tournament after losing to India by five wickets in their last Super 8 match at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Hope's innings of 32 runs off 33 balls restricted the scoring rate in the initial overs as WI failed to cross the 200-run mak. They ended up with a total of 195/4.
Match details
Hope defends his innings
Hope's innings included just 10 attacking shots and nine false shots, according to ESPNcricinfo's data. "Yes, I'll take the blame," Hope said when asked if his innings played a role in WI's defeat. "I should have batted a lot faster. But in a situation like this, when you're struggling... I don't think I was batting badly." Despite his slow start, Hope added a solid 68-run partnership with Roston Chase for the first wicket. The latter made a quick-fire 25-ball 40.
Game outcome
Proud of our campaign: Hope
India chased down the target with four balls to spare. Despite his own performance, Hope was proud of his team's overall campaign in this tournament. "We had 38 wickets out of a possible 40 in the group stages," he said. "And then from a batting standpoint, a lot of the batters coming in and contributing to those bigger totals."
Team reflection
Hope praises individual performances
Hope praised players like Shimron Hetmyer and bowlers Akeal Hosein, Gudakesh Motie, and Romario Shepherd for their contributions. He said they represented the region well and would leave with their heads held high despite the exit. "So, I thought the guys represented the region well. And I think we're all going to go home with our heads held high."