As West Indies prepares to kick off a critical three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka on Wednesday at Kingston’s Sabina Park, captain Shai Hope has voiced unwavering confidence in his side’s ability to extend their dominant home run and claim crucial World Cup qualification points.
Hope’s comments come on the heels of a focused pre-series training camp held in Antigua, where the squad honed specific skills tailored to challenge a formidable Sri Lankan side. Under Hope’s leadership, the West Indies Men’s ODI team, affectionately known as the Men in Maroon, have not dropped a home series in four consecutive outings — a streak the side is determined to push to five when they take the field this week.
“One thing that we’ve done really well as a group, we’ve defended home court really nicely,” Hope noted in his post-camp remarks.
The series carries high stakes for the Caribbean side, with direct points on offer that will determine whether they secure automatic qualification for the 2025 ICC 50-over World Cup. Currently sitting 10th in the global rankings, West Indies fall outside the cut-off for automatic qualification, and a poor showing could see them miss out on a third consecutive major 50-over ICC tournament, having already failed to qualify for the 2023 World Cup and the most recent Champions Trophy.
Acknowledging the challenge ahead, Hope emphasized that Sri Lanka ranks among the most competitive sides in international cricket, requiring meticulous preparation from his squad. The training camp focused heavily on two key areas: tightening batting performance by reducing unnecessary dot balls and boosting bowling aggression by prioritizing early wickets to put opposition lineups under pressure.
“Sri Lanka is a very strong team, such as everyone else in the international field. So, that attention to detail that we need to pay goes a long way … understanding what they’re trying to throw at us and finding ways to score as batters, limiting that dot-ball percentage, something we focused on a lot in the recent past,” Hope explained. “And, as bowlers, trying to find ways to keep picking up wickets, because when you put batting lineups under pressure with wickets, it’s a lot easier to control in the back end when things may start to go helter-skelter.”
A major boost to the side’s prospects ahead of the series is the return of star fast bowler Alzarri Joseph, who takes the field for West Indies for the first time in more than a year. Prior to his break from international cricket, Joseph was widely regarded as the leader of the team’s ODI bowling attack, and Hope said his comeback has already lifted team morale.
“It’s great having Alzarri back. He’s been one of our strongest bowlers, especially in this format, for quite some time. And seeing him looking so fit, looking so strong, looking so refreshed, I think that’s going to be a big boost for us. Not putting any pressure on him, but I’m looking forward to seeing him go well and do great things for the West Indies again,” Hope said.
With preparation wrapped up and the opening match just days away, Hope said the squad is fully aware of what is at stake over the course of the series, and is ready to compete for the results that will keep their World Cup dream alive. “So, just understanding that we have a lot to play for as well, especially now with the points up for grabs. The preparation is going really nicely and just understanding what’s required within the next few days against Sri Lanka,” he added.