West Indies near T20 WC record with 254/6, Hetmyer stars in big win

West Indies scored a near-record 254/6, their highest T20 WC total, to beat Zimbabwe by 107 runs. Shimron Hetmyer's fiery 85 off 34 balls was a highlight. Captain Shai Hope says the team is focused on securing a semi-final spot.

The unbeaten West Indies finished only six runs shy of Sri Lanka's all-time ICC Men's T20 World Cup run total record of 260/6. Shimron Hetmyer was immense, blasting a 19-ball half-century on his way to 85 off 34 balls, as per the ICC website. And their spin attack was just as impressive, suffocating Zimbabwe to snuff out any hope of a miracle run chase, helping the Windies complete a dominant 107-run win.

Captain Hope Stays Grounded

But captain Shai Hope, proud of his batting unit's efforts, is staying firmly grounded. They're still at least a win away from securing their semi-finals spot and carry the belief they can go all the way, having already achieved the ultimate prize in this tournament twice previously.

"When you get 250 plus on the board in a T20 game, then you must be happy as a batting unit," Hope told the media post-game. "And then with the ball being as clinical as we did in that, especially in the middle phase and power play ... I would call it more of a complete game for us, but if you want to be picky, there are always areas that you can improve. There are always ways and areas that you can find to improve," he added.

The Windies' 254/6 was their highest total in a Men's T20 World Cup. But Hope has firmly shut down suggestions that they're ready to spend any time reflecting on that just yet.

"This is the stage of the tournament where you're more focused on playing your best cricket. If you do happen to get past those milestones, then you talk about it at the end, and guys will congratulate each other. But it's definitely not at the forefront," he continued. "You never go to bat thinking, OK, I want to score 275 or 350 in a T20 game. It's just about getting as many runs as you can and putting the opposition under pressure. I think the first question, I just believe the way we've been playing, it certainly gives us a lot of confidence. You can't always say we've got to stay in the moment. Yes, we've played well to this stage, but again, we've got another game in a few days, and we've got to make sure we turn up on that day again," he added.

Crucial Showdown Against South Africa Awaits

"So, great start, great confidence booster. But those games are gone. We've got to look ahead now. We've got South Africa next, and then India after. So we've got to keep playing our best cricket. If we can get better, continue getting better. If we're doing well, continue doing it," he concluded. Their fast-approaching blockbuster against South Africa in Ahmedabad will likely decide who tops Group 1 in the Super Eight stage. The winner will almost certainly clinch a spot in the final four. (ANI)

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