T20 World Cup 2026: Ignore stats when Sherfane bats, says Shai Hope

WI’s Sherfane Rutherford during his unbeaten 76 against England at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday. Pic/Ashish Raje

West Indies (WI) captain Shai Hope reckoned Sherfane Rutherford as a special batsman. Rutherford's 42-ball 76 not out helped WI outclassed England by 30 runs in their T20 World Cup encounter at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday.

Rutherford has scored just five half-centuries in 48 T20Is with an average of 22.14. However, Hope insists not to go only by Rutherford's stats as the left-hander is an ‘impact player.'

WI skipper Shai Hope

"You just watch him [Rutherford] and see how special he is. We have to throw stats out the window every now and again. You can just look at a player and see what impact he has on a team. If you ask any bowler in world cricket, if they see Sherfane at the next end, they're going to always feel they're under pressure," Hope said during the post-match press conference on Wednesday.

All-rounder Roston Chase (34 runs and 2-29) was not part of the WI playing XI in the previous game against Scotland, which they won by 35 runs. However, the off-spinner played a crucial role against England. Hope said: "It was a tactical change. He's [Chase] one of those players who can come in at any moment in time. We saw he was very crucial with the bat as well. He gave us some stability."

Hope admitted that playing at Wankhede Stadium gives a different energy to his team. In the 2016 T20 World Cup, current WI head coach Daren Sammy's WI team beat England by six wickets at the same ground. "It's one of those grounds that when you come here you just feel like playing cricket. I can say the same for most of the venues in India, but something about Wankhede, it just brings a different vibe, different energy," Hope remarked.

Meanwhile, England's inability to counter spin was exposed again as they lost six batters to WI's spinners - Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie (3-33), Chase (2-29) and Akeal Hosein (1-32).

2016
The year West Indies last faced England in a T20 World Cup match at Wankhede. The Caribbeans won by six wickets

One
WI's position in Group C after their win over England

5
No. of half-centuries for WI's Sherfane Rutherford across 48 T20Is

180.95
Sherfane Rutherford's strike-rate against England on Wednesday