West Indies captain Shai Hope aims to seal series against New Zealand to honour Sir Garfield Sobers

West Indies captain Shai Hope is determined to lead his side to a stirring comeback in the ongoing five‑match ODI series against New Zealand, with the ambition of securing victory in honour of the late Sir Garfield Sobers. As the contest shifts to Barbados, Sobers’ beloved home, the final two fixtures carry a deep emotional resonance for the Men in Maroon, as they are trailing 2-1.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) has announced free entry for both matches to encourage large crowds, while also refunding patrons who had already purchased tickets.

"It was a sad one. It's something that… he [Sobers] has shown what West Indies cricket really means. He's one of the first legends of the game, really set and paved the way for us all," Hope said ahead of the fourth ODI. "So I think tomorrow should be a big inspiration for us, a big confidence‑booster for us. Not saying that we're looking at the death only to raise us, but we need to play this one for the great man, and hopefully we can get the results that we really want in his honour as well."

The Men in Maroon currently sit at No. 10 in the ICC Men’s ODI rankings, with their direct qualification for the 2027 World Cup under serious threat. Having missed out on the previous edition, Hope is determined to ensure the team does not repeat the same mistake.

"It's very important. I've been mentioning for the last few series now, every single game is very important, especially for what's at stake," Hope said ahead of the fourth ODI, scheduled for Sunday. "We've got a big qualification period, so I think these games hold a lot more weight, probably a bit more than the others.

"But we've still got to play each game as it comes. We've got to ensure that we're following all of our processes and executing when the time comes, because as you name a game, tomorrow especially, being able to execute under pressure and in those crucial moments [is crucial]."