Intro
Hope, Hetmyer shine as Windies seal dominant Mumbai victory
Mumbai
West Indies became the first team to qualify for the Super Eights in the T20 World Cup with a commanding nine-wicket win over Nepal at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday.
Led by skipper Shai Hope, the Caribbean side chased down a modest 134 with ease, finishing at 134 for 1 in just 15.2 overs in their Group C clash. Hope remained unbeaten on 61 off 44 balls, striking five fours and three sixes, while Shimron Hetmyer provided solid support with an unbeaten 46 off 32 deliveries. The duo stitched together an unbroken 91-run stand for the second wicket to seal victory with 28 balls to spare.
Earlier, Jason Holder returned impressive figures of 4/27 to restrict Nepal to 133 for 8. The only resistance came from Dipendra Singh Airee, who played a valiant knock of 58 not out off 47 balls, laced with three fours and three sixes. His determined effort, along with Sompal Kami’s late cameo of 26 not out, lifted Nepal from a precarious 46 for 5.
Nepal’s innings never truly gathered momentum. Early strikes from Akeal Hosein and Holder derailed their top order, and poor shot selection compounded their troubles. Airee’s fighting half-century was the lone bright spark for the Rhinos, whose fans once again turned up in large numbers but left disappointed.
In reply, West Indies lost Brandon King early but faced little resistance thereafter. Nepal’s bowlers failed to apply pressure on a batting-friendly surface, allowing Hope and Hetmyer to dictate terms comfortably.
With three wins in three matches, West Indies now sit atop Group C and carry strong momentum into the next stage of the tournament.
