Kyle and Shai Hope test positive for COVID-19; ruled out of Super50 Cup

The COVID-19 pandemic has still not been ruled out of the world even after struggling with it for almost a year now. The cricketers also got trapped in the wave of virus, and the new addition is of Hope brothers from West Indies. West Indies opener Shai Hope and his brother Kyle Hope have been ruled out of the Regional Super50 Cup squad after testing positive for COVID-19 recently.

The players underwent the round of tests on 24 January just before the tournament, which is scheduled to get on floors next week in Antigua. In the same light, wicketkeeper Tevyn Walcott and top-order batter Zachary McCaskie have been named as their replacements in the 15-man squad. Shai Hope has represented West Indies in 34 Tests, 78 ODIs, and 13 T20Is, while his brother Kyle has represented the nation in five Tests and seven ODIs.

“The Hope brothers, Shai and Kyle, have tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss the Cricket West Indies (CWI) Super50 Cup in Antigua, February-7 to 27. Shai and Kyle Hope will be placed in isolation in accordance with Government of Barbados protocols,” said the Barbados Cricket Association in a statement as quoted by lastestly.com.

Shai Hope last played competitive cricket in CPL 2020

The Super50 tournament is going to be the first round of domestic cricket in the year after the Caribbean Premier League took place in September 2020. It was the last time when Shai played competitive cricket and got dropped from the West Indies tour of New Zealand owing to constant dismal form in the longest format of the game. He was not even part of the T20 plans.

Shai Hope yet to prove his form in Tests

Shai has been one of the best batsmen in the world in ODI cricket in the last few years, but he is yet to prove his potentials in the purest form of the game, where he averages 26.27. His Test average is about half of his ODI average. Kyle Hope, his elder brother, was last seen in competitive cricket before the COVID-19 lockdown for Trinidad and Trinbago.