Kolkata, February 19 Well-defined roles, calm execution, and collective belief have propelled the West Indies into the Super Eights with four wins, and captain Shai Hope says "clarity" within the group has been a major factor in their success so far in the T20 World Cup.
Unlike their often aggressive approach, the West Indies have built their innings patiently in this tournament, keeping wickets in hand before exploding in the final overs.
"Clarity is the biggest thing, especially in a tournament as big as this," Hope said after their 42-run win over Italy in their final Group C match at Eden Gardens.
The two-time champions, who won their last T20 World Cup here at Eden Gardens a decade ago before experiencing a slump, will now move to the Super Eights, facing Zimbabwe, South Africa, and India.
"When you come into a World Cup, you don't want to be playing catch-up, especially when you need to start strong, especially when you're playing against some of the best teams in the world."
He said the change is more about defined roles than tactics.
"I wouldn't say it's changed much. It's more about the role I'm given and how we want to play cricket as a West Indian team," he said.
"But I just feel that there is more clarity now regarding the role and the way we want to play our cricket."
This clarity has also influenced his preparation.
"If you want to play a particular role or a particular way, then everything has to change. So I've just tailored my training sessions and planning towards that."
One of the key changes has been Shimron Hetmyer being promoted to No. 3 from being a finisher, a move that has worked as the left-hander has scored 64, 23, and 46 not out in their first three matches after scoring one against Italy today.
The captain stressed that in a short tournament, defined roles are very important.
"It's just about ensuring everyone knows their role. Take limited risks, and the other players around me would focus on big shots. But that was in the past."
"It's not like a bilateral series where you might lose a couple of matches and still win 3-2. So clarity was one of the biggest things we focused on in preparation, ensuring that every player, whether it's the 11 on the day or even the ones on the bench, is fit for each role that we need to execute in the middle."
Despite topping the group, Hope insisted there is no room for complacency.
"We have to make sure we are playing our best cricket, regardless of the opposition we're playing against. We saw the threat that Italy posed in the competition, so we're leaving no stone unturned today."
"There's always some area that you can improve in every single game. We just can't look too far ahead. We have to focus on what's in front of us, not necessarily dwelling on the areas where we fell short."
He also highlighted the importance of supporting teammates through difficult phases in a long tournament.
"In any sport, not everyone is going to perform every day. So, especially in a team sport, the important thing is when one of your teammates is struggling, the other players have to support them. That's how a tournament works," he said.
The West Indies will now open their Super Eights campaign against Zimbabwe in Mumbai, a team that stunned former champions Australia to secure their place.
But Hope said the opposition doesn't change their mindset.
"Not really. In terms of planning, we have to plan for whoever's in front of us. If it's Namibia, if it's anyone, we have to ensure that we're prepared for the opposition."
Having already played at the Wankhede earlier in the tournament, he feels familiarity could help.
"Having the experience of playing at Wankhede would give us more confidence as a team to know what works, and what doesn't. But again, cricket is unpredictable," he concluded.
