Shimron Hetmyer, who destroyed Zimbabwe’s bowling with his brutal onslaught in the West Indies’ 107-run win in a T20 World Cup Super Eights match here on Monday, said the key was to stop overthinking and simply let his bat do the talking.
Hetmyer blasted seven sixes and seven fours in a breathtaking 85 off just 34 balls as the Caribbean side powered their way to 254 for 6, the second-highest team total in the tournament’s history.
Hetmyer, who was named Player of the Match, said earlier he used to plan and overthink a lot, which was proving detrimental to his batting.
“Not overthinking my batting (now). In the past, I used to overthink a lot… about plans, about getting out. Now, I’m trying to think less and let the bat do the talking, just react (to the situation),” said the West Indies white-ball specialist after the game.
He said the match-changing knock meant a great deal to him, especially after a lean outing against Italy in the group stage where he managed just one run.
“It means a lot, actually, especially because I didn’t get much in the last game (vs Italy). For me, it’s about continuing to replicate what I’ve been doing over the past couple of months.
“I’m trying to stick to the same process, and so far, it’s been working.” He said he was extremely confident and comfortable batting at the crucial No. 3 position, adding that he now understands the demands and nuances of the role much better.
Story continues below this ad
“It’s definitely easier now because I’ve been doing it for a while. I understand the role better, I know how situations unfold, and having the backing of everyone in the team really helps. That support puts me in a much more comfortable headspace.” After hitting seven towering sixes that deflated the opposition’s morale, he said the team still has a long way to go.
“I’m not thinking too much about it (sixes record), to be honest. It does feel good to have achieved something like that, but as a team, we haven’t really accomplished anything yet.
“It’s just one game, and there’s still a long way to go. We’re taking it one game at a time and just trying to keep pushing forward,” he said.
Shai Hope, captain of the West Indies side, said he was pleased to see every member of the side contributing to the team’s success.
Story continues below this ad
“We all enjoyed it, to be honest. When everyone is firing like that, it’s a real joy to watch. It’s great to see contributions coming from all around. Rovman Powell, everyone adding to the tally.” On left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie’s impact since returning, including his four-wicket haul on Monday, he said it was great to see the bowler back in the side and contributing effectively.
“We sometimes underestimate and neglect how important time away from the game can be, especially when you’re playing a lot of cricket. He’s (Motie) been one of our best bowlers across formats, and it’s been great to see him come back having used that time wisely.
“He’s clearly worked on his skills and even added something extra with his wrist spin, which has been very beneficial for us,” said Hope.
Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza said he would not comment on the challenges of changing venues or whether it affected the team’s performance, emphasising that the players came to the tournament to learn and that excuses would not help.
Story continues below this ad
“I don’t want to think like that (challenges with changing venues). If we think about venues, if we think about the change in the country, we will learn nothing from this game.
“For me and for Zimbabwe, it’s very important that we take something out this. Excuses won’t help us. If we are good enough to go through, we must play good cricket wherever we are, here or in Sri Lanka. So the venue change doesn’t bother me. What matters is that we’ve taken some valuable lessons from today,” said Raza.
“We expected the pitch to stay true and flat, but it started turning, and that’s where we lost control. From an experience point of view, it was a great game. The boys will learn a lot, how to bowl on slower surfaces and how to bowl to batters who can hit the ball hard and a long way.” He said Zimbabwe would have been bruised by the heavy defeat, but in their next game they would take the field with full intent to win.
“Despite the bruises from today, every time Zimbabwe walks out, we aim to win. We want to put in strong performances and earn respect. If it’s India, then it’s India. Both teams have lost games, so there’s plenty to prove.
Story continues below this ad
“We’ll take the lessons from today, use what we know about Chennai, and try to perform better. Then we’ll see what happens,” added Raza.
