West Indies defeated Zimbabwe by a huge margin of 107 runs in the Super 8 match of the T20 World Cup 2026 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
During the match, Shimron Hetmyer played a blistering knock of 85 runs off just 34 deliveries, which was laced with seven boundaries and the same number of maximums.
Speaking on JioHotstar, Hetmyer said that his team`s players are enjoying each other`s company a lot more, which brings out the best in everyone.
“Team (members are) enjoying each other`s company a lot more now. Earlier, some guys may have been hesitant to speak openly, but now, we challenge each other in the nets and even on the way to the ground to keep improving. That brings out the best in everyone,” he said.
He then revealed his mindset while batting during the matches. The 29-year-old cricketer said that he looks to put pressure on the bowler.
“Once I`m in my zone, I go as hard as I can. If it comes off, great. If not, I keep working. I focus on playing my shots rather than worrying too much about field placements. When I look to clear the boundary, I just tell myself to get enough of the bat on the ball. The wickets are good and the boundaries aren`t massive, so even half a connection can be enough. I try to put pressure back on the bowler. If I do that, they`ll end up giving me scoring opportunities instead of me searching for singles. The key is to play with the same mindset as before. If it`s your day, it`s your day. If not, you keep trying,” said Hetmyer.
The victory has helped the Caribbeans top Group 1 of the Super 8 stage. They have two points with a net run rate (NRR) of +5.350.
West Indies` next match is against South Africa on February 26 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. They will then lock horns with Team India on March 1 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The Shai Hope-led side will heavily rely on Brandon King and Hetmyer to deliver big knocks in the remaining matches of the Super 8 stage.
West Indies` squad for the T20 World Cup 2026
Jason Holder, Johnson Charles (WK), Akeal Hosein, Roston Chase, Shai Hope (C) (WK), Gudakesh Motie, Brandon King, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovaman Powell, Romario Shepherd, Sherfane Rutherford, Jayden Seales, Matthew Forde, Quentin Sampson, Shamar Joseph.
(With ANI Inputs)
