Hope joins West Indies elite group with 10th century

West Indies, Shai Hope bats during the Cricket World Cup match between Afghanistan and West Indies at Headingley in Leeds, England.
Associated Press / Rui Vieira, file

West Indies opening batsman, Shai Hope wrote his name in the history books with an excellent century as he marked a magnificent return to the One-Day International (ODI) stage.

He made a polished 110 off 113 balls and guided the West Indies to a resounding victory in the opening match recently, which snapped their five-game losing streak against Sri Lanka.

This was his 10th hundred and he has joined an elite group of West Indian to reach this milestone joining; Chris Gayle (25), Brian Lara (19), Desmond Haynes (17), Sir Gordon Greenidge (11), Sir Vivian Richards (11), Shivnarine Chanderpaul (11), Marlon Samuels ((10).

Hope holds the record for the most ODI runs by a West Indies wicketkeeper-3,339 in 74 innings at an average of 53.10 runs per innings.

The partnership between Hope and Evin Lewis in the opening match, was the highest stand for West Indies against Sri Lanka in the Caribbean beating the 113 by Chris Gayle and Johnson Charles at Sabina Park, Jamaica in 2013. It was also the highest against Sri Lanka all-time- surpassing the previous best of 133 by legendary duo Sir Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes at Adelaide Oval, Australia in 1985.