Shai Hope Makes History With 12th Team Century, Becomes First Batsman to Score ODI Centuries Against All 12 Test Nations

On November 19, 2025, in Napier, New Zealand, Shai Hope didn’t just play a match—he rewrote cricket history. Batting through a rain-shortened 34-over contest, the Shai Hope smashed a blistering 109 not out off just 69 balls, with 13 fours and four sixes, becoming the first batsman ever to score an ODI century against all 12 full-member Test nations. Even though West Indies lost the match to New Zealand, Hope was named Man of the Match for a performance that echoed through the annals of the game.

Breaking the 12-Nation Barrier

Before Hope, legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Chris Gayle, Ricky Ponting, Hashim Amla, and Martin Guptill had each scored centuries against 11 different Test-playing nations. That was the ceiling. Until Hope walked out in Napier. His 109 against New Zealand wasn’t just another hundred—it was the 12th. That’s every single team the ICC recognizes as a full member: Australia, England, South Africa, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, West Indies, New Zealand, Afghanistan, and Ireland. No one had done it. Not even Tendulkar, who faced every one of them over 463 ODIs. Hope did it in just 142.

A Century of Consistency

This wasn’t a fluke. Hope’s 19th ODI century tied him with Brian Lara for the most by a West Indian. Lara took 258 innings to reach 19 centuries. Hope did it in 142. Only Chris Gayle, with 25 centuries in 291 innings, stands ahead. But here’s the twist: Hope’s strike rate in this innings was 157.97. He didn’t just reach the milestone—he exploded past it. In a match reduced to 34 overs, where West Indies were 15/1 after six overs and 86/5 before he walked in, Hope single-handedly dragged them to 247/9. He didn’t just save face—he made it respectable.

6,000 Runs in 142 Innings

With that knock, Hope became the second-fastest West Indian to reach 6,000 ODI runs. Only Viv Richards did it quicker—in 141 innings. Brian Lara needed 155. Hope, at 30, is now the third-highest run-scorer for West Indies in ODIs, behind only Gayle and Lara. His average? 50.80. His strike rate? 88.7. He’s not just a finisher. He’s a force. And he’s doing it with a style that blends aggression with control, something rarely seen in modern Caribbean batting.

The Match That Wasn’t Supposed to Be a Record-Breaker

The rain that fell in Napier didn’t just shorten the game—it disguised the magnitude of what was unfolding. New Zealand chased down 248 in 32.4 overs, thanks to a composed 89 from Devon Conway and a finishing flourish from Glenn Phillips. West Indies’ top order collapsed. Brandon King, Shamar Joseph, and even captain Kraigg Brathwaite fell cheaply. But Hope? He stayed. He anchored. He punished. He didn’t just survive—he dominated. The scoreboard read 247/9, but the story was written in 69 balls of pure intent. The crowd, mostly Kiwi, gave him a standing ovation. Even the opposition knew they’d witnessed something rare.

Why This Matters Beyond the Numbers

Cricketers often get celebrated for longevity. But Hope’s achievement is about precision, adaptability, and consistency across vastly different conditions. He’s scored centuries in Brisbane, Lord’s, Delhi, Cape Town, and now Napier. He’s faced spin-heavy attacks in Asia, pace-heavy ones in Australia, and swing-heavy ones in England. His century against Ireland in 2019 was his 11th. Against Afghanistan in 2023, his 12th was still a year away. He didn’t just wait for opportunities—he created them. And in doing so, he’s become the most complete ODI batsman West Indies has produced since Richards.

What’s Next for Shai Hope?

At 30, Hope is in his prime. He’s already the most prolific ODI centurion among active West Indian batsmen. With 30 half-centuries to go with his 19 hundreds, he’s a consistent force in the middle order. The West Indies team may still struggle for stability, but Hope is their anchor. He’s also now the most likely candidate to break Chris Gayle’s record for most ODI centuries by a West Indian. And if he keeps playing at this clip, he might even challenge Virat Kohli’s record of 48 ODI centuries—something once thought impossible for a non-Asian batsman.

Historical Context: The Elite 12 Club

Before Hope, the 11-nation club included the biggest names in ODI history. Tendulkar reached it in 2008. Gayle in 2013. Ponting in 2011. Amla in 2015. Guptill in 2019. Each of them played over 300 ODIs. Hope? 142. He’s not just matching legends—he’s outpacing them in efficiency. And he’s doing it for a team that hasn’t won an ODI series in over five years. That’s the quiet power of his consistency. He doesn’t need a winning team to make history. He just needs a bat, a ball, and a pitch.