Incredible Feat: Shai Hope’s 109 Makes Him First to Score Hundreds Against Every Test

On a cool Napier evening at McLean Park, Shai Hope produced one of the finest modern ODI knocks – a sublime, unbeaten 109 off 69 balls – and still walked off on the losing side. New Zealand chased down West Indies’ 247/9 in a rain-shortened 34-over contest, winning by five wickets with three balls to spare and sealing the series 2–0.

1. Match Context: Series Situation & Conditions

West Indies arrived in Napier for the second ODI of a three-match series, already trailing 0–1 after losing the opener. New Zealand, at home and in form, were on a six-match winning streak in ODIs and looking to wrap up the series with a game to spare.

New Zealand won the toss and chose to field, backing their chasing strength and trusting their top order to handle any scoreboard pressure. For West Indies, the equation was simple: post something competitive, hope their seamers and change-ups could exploit any early movement, and keep a lid on New Zealand’s aggressive batting lineup.

2. West Indies’ Struggle, Then Hope’s Rescue Act

2.1 Top-Order Collapse

Things unravelled quickly for West Indies. Early wickets meant they were 86/5 inside 15 overs, with John Campbell, Keacy Carty, Ackeem Auguste, Sherfane Rutherford and Roston Chase all back in the pavilion.

New Zealand’s seamers, particularly Nathan Smith (4/42) and Kyle Jamieson (3/44), exploited conditions brilliantly – hitting hard lengths, using the cross seam and keeping the scoring rate under pressure.

At that stage, a total of even 200 looked distant.

2.2 Hope’s Counterattack

Standing firm in the chaos was Shai Hope. Initially circumspect, he shifted gears once West Indies crossed the 20-over mark. By then, he had weathered the toughest phase and started unfurling his trademark range of strokes:

Elegant drives through extra cover
Controlled pulls and pick-up shots over midwicket
Lofted strokes down the ground when New Zealand missed their length

He finished on 109 off just 69 balls*, laced with 13 fours and 4 sixes, scoring at a strike rate close to 158 in a game where no other West Indies batter passed 25.

2.3 Support from the Lower Order

Hope found late support from Romario Shepherd (22 off 14) and Matthew Forde (21 off 11), whose cameos helped push West Indies to 247/9 in 34 overs – a total that looked competitive, if not imposing, in the conditions.

Given where they had been at 86/5, finishing with 247 was a minor miracle and almost entirely driven by Hope’s brilliance.

3. The Milestone: Centuries Against Every Test-Playing Nation

Hope’s 109* was not just another ODI hundred; it carried layered historical significance.

3.1 First Batter to Do It

According to detailed stats compiled after the game, Shai Hope is now the first player in international cricket history to score centuries against all 11 other ICC Full Member (Test-playing) nations – covering his hundreds against:

India
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
Bangladesh
Afghanistan
New Zealand
Australia
England
South Africa
Zimbabwe
Ireland

He already had tons against ten of them; New Zealand were the last remaining piece of the puzzle. This Napier hundred completed the full set..

4. Another Landmark: 6000 ODI Runs, Second-Fastest West Indian

The records didn’t stop with the “all Test nations” milestone. During the same innings, Hope also crossed 6000 ODI runs, reaching the mark in just 142 innings.

He became the second-fastest West Indies batter to reach 6000 ODI runs, behind only Incredible Feat: Shai Hope’s 109 Makes Him First to Score Hundreds Against Every Test, who did it in 141 innings.
In doing so, he overtook Brian Lara, who needed 155 innings for the same landmark.

5. How New Zealand Still Won: Conway, Ravindra, Latham & Santner

As brilliant as Shai Hope was, this match also highlighted the strength of New Zealand’s chase machinery.

5.1 Dominant Opening Stand

Chasing 248 in 34 overs, New Zealand needed just over 7 runs per over, a challenging but very achievable ask on a good pitch. Opening pair Devon Conway (90 off 84) and Incredible Feat: Shai Hope’s 109 Makes Him First to Score Hundreds Against Every Test calmly built a 106-run stand for the first wicket.

5.2 The Finish: Latham & Santner

In the end, Tom Latham (39 off 29)* and captain Mitchell Santner (34 off 15)* finished the job with a composed yet aggressive partnership.

A crucial moment came in the final over when Jayden Seales bowled a no-ball, easing the pressure and allowing New Zealand to complete the chase with three balls to spare at 248/5 in 33.3 overs. The Indian Express

6. Where West Indies Lost the Game

If you strip away the numbers, the story of West Indies’ defeat can be understood in three phases:

6.1 The Top-Order Collapse

Falling to 86/5 in a 34-over game put them severely behind the tempo. Even with Hope’s incredible recovery, they were essentially one more early wicket away from posting something like 200–210 instead of 247..

6.2 Death-Overs Execution

In a shortened game, every error is amplified. The final overs – including the no-ball from Seales – underlined how slim West Indies’ margin for error was. New Zealand’s composure under pressure contrasted with West Indies’ occasional indiscipline at key points.

7. What’s Next for West Indies ODI Cricket?

7.1 Building Around Hope

If West Indies are to regain consistent competitiveness in ODIs, Shai Hope must be the batting blueprint. They need to:

Stabilise the top order around him with at least one solid partner who can bat deep
Give him a settled role – whether at No. 3 or as an opener – instead of constant shuffle

7.2 Mindset in Crunch Moments

In tight games, small moments swing outcomes. A no-ball here, a misfield there – these are coachable issues. As captain, Hope will have a big role in instilling a calmer, more resilient mindset across the group, ensuring they don’t let winning positions slip after heroic batting efforts.

Conclusion

Shai Hope’s unbeaten 109 vs New Zealand* at Napier was more than a classy ODI hundred; it was a historic marker in modern cricket. In one innings he:

Rescued West Indies from 86/5 to a competitive 247/9 in a 34-over game
Became the first batter to score international centuries against all 11 other Test-playing nations
Crossed 6000 ODI runs, second fastest among West Indians after Viv Richards and ahead of Brian Lara

And yet, the scoreboard will always read: New Zealand beat West Indies by 5 wickets, series 2–0.

Written By The Cricket Show:

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