Riding on an unbeaten knock of 109 runs from Shai Hope, West Indies defeated Afghanistan by 5 wickets in the third and final ODI at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on Monday to complete a 3-0 series whitewash.
Hope was declared Player of the Match, whereas Roston Chase became Player of the Series.
Getting an invitation to bat, Afghanistan put up a fighting total of 249 for 7 in 50 overs. Asghar Afghan with his quickfire 86 was the highest scorer for the side, while Hazratullah Zazai and Mohammad Nabi chipped in useful half-centuries. For West Indies, Keemo Paul was the pick of the bowlers, returning with figures of 3 for 44.
During the chase, the West Indies were two wickets down for 4 runs with off-spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman dismissing opener Evin Lewis (1) and Shimron Hetmyer (0) in the third over.
However, the Carribeans managed to get 50 plus partnerships after that all the way down to the sixth wicket to chase down the target with eight balls to spare.
Hope, who opened the batting with Lewis, batted till the end taking 145 balls for his 109-run knock. He hit 8 boundaries and 3 sixes.
Rashid Khan, Sharafuddin Ashraf and Mohammad Nabi got a wicket each, but Roston Chase (42*) added 71 runs with Hope for the sixth wicket to ensure that West Indies bag the match without any further problem.
”It is good to contribute to team’s win. I just put my hand up, someone had to bat through the innings. It is all about reading the situation of the match,” Hope said after the match.
The two teams meet next for a three-match T20I series starting November 14 at the same venue.