“You always have a lot more time than you think” – Shai Hope remembers MS Dhoni advice after match-winning knock against England in the 1st ODI.

West Indies captain Shai Hope shared a valuable insight into a conversation he had with Indian cricket legend MS Dhoni following the Windies’ triumphant victory over England by four wickets in the first ODI in North Sound on Sunday, December 3. Hope, who played a pivotal role in the team’s success by scoring an impressive 109* off 83 balls, recalled Dhoni’s wise advice that emphasized the importance of perceiving time on the field.

In the post-match presentation, Hope reflected on Dhoni’s guidance, revealing that the iconic cricketer had once told him, ‘You always have a lot more time than you think.’ This piece of advice had a lasting impact on Hope’s approach to the game and contributed to his stellar performance in the match

Hope said “A very, very famous person, MS Dhoni – we had a chat a while ago, and he was saying, ‘You always have a lot more time than you think’. That’s one thing that has stuck with me throughout the years I’ve been playing ODI cricket.” 

During the Windies’ pursuit of a challenging target of 326 in 48.5 overs, Hope showcased remarkable batting skills, particularly in an over against Sam Curran. Drawing on Dhoni’s counsel and considering the field dimensions and wind factors, Hope strategically targeted Curran’s over, a decision he believed was the most effective at that moment.

“We knew it was a challenge to score from the other end, especially going against the breeze… regardless of what happened, I was going to try and take down that second-to-last over to give us the best chance of winning the game.”

“After the second [six of the 49th over], I knew we pretty much had the game in the balance. If we had that over to finish the game, I always try to finish the game with one over to spare if I can. I don’t want to leave it to anyone else, so the aim was to finish off at the back end,” added the West Indies skipper

Hope’s innings featured an impressive display of power-hitting, including four fours and seven sixes, culminating in his 16th century in the one-day format.