Updated 26 February 2026 at 22:18 IST
Shai Hope Calls For More Resilience After Crushing Defeat To South Africa In T20 World Cup: 'Everything Is Not Going To Come Easy'
After a crushing defeat to South Africa, the West Indies will now face India in a crunch T20 World Cup Super 8 stage.
West Indies' crushing loss at the hands of South Africa in a T20 World Cup Super 8 game has left them on the brink of an exit. Chasing a formidable total of 176, South Africa reached the target by losing just one wicket with 23 balls to spare. The loss also took a drastic hit on the West Indies' Net Run Rate, which could prove to be a vital factor in their qualification for the semifinal.
West Indies Captain Shai Hope Calls For More Resilience Against India
Coming on the back of a huge win against Zimbabwe, the Caribbeans were tipped to provide a good challenge to the Proteas, but it turned out to be a one-sided affair. South Africa dominated in both departments, asking several questions with both bat and ball. The Windies' batting department failed when they needed it the most, and Shai Hope also couldn't get his bat going.
The West Indies captain has now called for his team to treat the next match as a final.
While speaking at the post-match presentation, he said, "Everything is not going to come easy. We've got to find ways to overcome our challenges. And the way we've been playing cricket, yes, we've got to put a loss. Sometimes it's good to have a loss earlier in the campaign, but now we see the importance of this next game, and it's important for us to make sure we hit our straps well. And we've got to use it as a final as well, our first final and hopefully two more after that."
How West Indies Can Qualify For T20 World Cup Semifinals
West Indies will have to pray for India's defeat against Zimbabwe, but that looks like a difficult prospect. Shai Hope's team will also face India in their last Super 8 clash and if they fail to beat India, the home side will advance to the semifinal, provided they beat Zimbabwe in Chennai.
A loss for Zimbabwe would not hurt them on paper, but the African country needs a miracle to stay alive in the competition. If Zimbabwe beat South Africa and the West Indies manage to get the better of India, the West Indies and South Africa will go through.
Published By : Anirban Sarkar
Published On: 26 February 2026 at 22:18 IST