When one thinks of modern-day legends in ODIs, the first few spots would certainly be reserved for Indians, Australians, and the English, but what about the rest of the world? Do they not have great players in all other cricket-playing nations? Maybe, it’s just the case of them going unnoticed for reasons unknown.
On Monday, in the wee hours, West Indies skipper Shai Hope powered his side to a four-wicket victory against England, while chasing a daunting target of 326. The man scored 109 from 83 balls, in what was his 16th ton in ODIs. Not just that, his masterclass included seven sixes and four fours and boasted of a staggering strike rate of 131.33.
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This innings by Hope extends beyond one win, and once again puts him in the elite company of some of the modern-day greats. Here’s why. During the match, Hope crossed the 5000-run barrier in ODIs, becoming only the 11th West Indian to do so. He achieved the feat in 114 innings, which is the joint third-fastest, along with Viv Richards and Virat Kohli. Babar Azam sits at the top of the list with 5000 runs in 97 innings.
| Player | Matches | Innings |
| Babar Azam | 99 | 97 |
| Hashim Amla | 104 | 101 |
| Viv Richards | 126 | 114 |
| Virat Kohli | 120 | 114 |
| Shai Hope | 119 | 114 |
If we take into account only the players from the Caribbean, he is the joint-fastest along with Richards, which speaks volumes of Hope’s greatness. What makes his achievement even greater is, that he surpassed the mark quicker than Brian Lara (118) and Gordon Greenidge (121).
| Player | Matches | Innings |
| Viv Richards | 126 | 114 |
| Shai Hope | 119 | 114 |
| Brian Lara | 120 | 118 |
| Gordon Greenidge | 122 | 121 |
The record list just does not stop there. Now he is in the elite company of keeper-batsmen with most ODI tons. He joins the likes of Kumar Sangakkara (23), Quinton de Kock (21), and Adam Gilchrist (16), at the third spot. The Aussie legend Gilchrist and Hope have the same number of tons. If that is not enough, in the entire history of ODIs for West Indies, Shai Hope has the best batting average, and that too by a distance. While his career is still young, he averages a breath-taking 51.52, while Viv is the next best with 47.00. Gordon Greenidge takes the third place with 45.03.
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| Player | Runs | Average |
| Shai Hope | 5049 | 51.52 |
| Chris Gayle | 10425 | 38.04 |
| Brian Lara | 10348 | 40.90 |
| Viv Richards | 6721 | 47.00 |
| Gordon Greenidge | 5134 | 45.03 |
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