Guyanese duo shine as Hope applauds WI’s strong start at T20 WC

West Indies (WI) began their campaign in emphatic fashion, defeating Scotland by 35 runs in their opening match, with Shimron Hetmyer and Romario Shepherd producing standout performances that underlined the depth and balance of the Caribbean side.
Batting first, WI were anchored by a fluent and aggressive innings from Hetmyer, who struck 64 off just 36 deliveries to earn the Player of the Match award. Recently promoted to number three, Hetmyer showcased both responsibility and freedom, blending controlled stroke play with his trademark explosiveness.
WI Captain Shai Hope praised Hetmyer’s growing consistency and maturity, revealing that the team had challenged him to take on a more prominent role in the batting order.
“Hetty, again, he’s been in some tremendous form. His last four innings have been 40-plus scores, and that consistency is something we asked of him,” Hope said. “We wanted him at number three to show more responsibility, and he’s taken it with both arms.”
Hope also highlighted that the move was designed to maximise Hetmyer’s potential, which he felt had not been fully utilised lower down the order. “We know how good a player he is, and I don’t think we were maximising his true potential at the bottom. He accepted the challenge, and clearly, it’s been paying off,” he added.

WI posted a competitive total that proved beyond Scotland’s reach, despite a spirited response early in the chase. Any hopes of a comeback were effectively extinguished by Romario Shepherd, who delivered a devastating spell of fast bowling to finish with remarkable figures of 5 for 20, including a hat-trick.
Hope was full of praise for Shepherd’s continued development, noting his transformation into a genuine match-winner with both bat and ball. “Sheppie is always willing to learn and improve. He came onto the scene more as a bowling all-rounder, but now he’s one of the most dangerous finishers in world cricket,” Hope said.
The skipper also highlighted Shepherd’s versatility and tactical discipline. “Today was about executing the team plans – breaking that partnership and sticking to the plan. He’s a very good yorker bowler, and it’s all about confidence. He’s been bowling well with the new ball and in the middle overs, which makes him extremely valuable for us.”
With Hetmyer thriving in his new role and Shepherd making an immediate impact, West Indies sent an early message to the rest of the tournament. As Hope noted, performances like these are exactly what the team needs as they look to build momentum and challenge strongly in the weeks ahead.