West Indies captain Shai Hope and Player of the Match Evin Lewis shared their satisfaction following a commanding 62-run victory over Ireland in the third and final T20 International at Bready on Sunday, a result that sealed a 1-0 series win for the visitors after the first two matches were abandoned due to rain.
The pair led from the front with the bat, putting on a 100-run opening stand to lay the foundation for West Indies’ imposing 256 for five from their 20 overs. Lewis was the standout, blasting 91 from just 44 balls, a knock that included eight fours and six sixes, while Hope anchored the innings with a well-paced 51.
“It was unfortunate we didn’t get to play the first two games,” said Lewis, who was named Player of the Match.
“Felt pretty good out there. Wanted to see what the wicket was doing and then step up a bit.”
He added that the performance meant a lot, especially given the long gaps between matches and opportunities.
“I wanted to do well. Still grateful and thankful. Pretty easy to bat with him (Hope). He tries to get the game off to a good start, similar to me, and I am grateful to bat with him.”
Ireland, chasing 257 for victory, never truly threatened and could only muster 194 for seven despite resistance from their middle order. The West Indies bowlers shared the spoils, with disciplined spells that snuffed out any momentum the hosts tried to build.
Hope, speaking after the match, emphasized the significance of the win, especially after a hard-fought series loss to England earlier this year.
“It means a lot. Really trying to build a strong team,” Hope said. “Just trying to continue that (ranking progress), trying to be as consistent as possible and win as many games as possible. That was a tough series against England—nice to take something back to the Caribbean.”
He praised Lewis’s destructive return, highlighting the left-hander’s potential impact in future fixtures.
“He’s a quality striker and when he is going, he is hard to stop. Hopefully, he can continue that run-scoring and get a good start against Australia when those matches arrive.”
Looking ahead to the upcoming Test series against Australia, which he will not captain, Hope deferred to his red-ball counterpart.
“Not quite sure—have not played in a little while,” he said. “Want to wish Roston all the best (as captain).”
