Mumbai: Shimron Hetmyer’s commitment to the West Indies team came under scrutiny after he failed to board the squad during the 2022 T20 World Cup and was eventually dropped. Although his decision was based on “personal reasons”, it gives the impression that he would rather travel the world in a franchise league than represent a Caribbean team.
A similar situation almost played out at this World Cup when the 29-year-old arrived in Kolkata 24 hours before the opener against Scotland. There were reports that visa issues delayed his arrival, but rumors of history repeating itself grew louder.
The West Indies camp, however, chose not to make a fuss. They let it slide — and the consequences followed. Hetmyer has emerged as their leading run scorer so far. The Rajasthan Royals batsman scored 219 runs in five games at a strike rate of 185.59.
Setting aside concerns about his past indiscretions, the left-hander has settled perfectly into his new role at No. 3, replacing Nicholas Pooran, who announced his retirement eight months ago.
Having spent considerable time with Hetmyer, West Indies skipper Shai Hope knows what he has to offer if promoted, having played the role early in his career before being pushed into the finisher’s position.
“In terms of the way he bats, I think sometimes his order is wasted. He’s a fantastic player; can bat in all situations, whether it’s spin or pace. We utilized him right at that stage (at No. 3) and he came out and played with the freedom we wanted. He has been an asset to us, especially in this match. He has embraced the role,” Hope said.
In July last year, Hetmyer’s ranking rose to No. 3 during the T20I series against Australia at home. In the next nine games, he scored 365 points with a field goal percentage of 184.34, which was significantly higher than his career field goal percentage of 138.89. The Guyanese attributes his recent success to increased clarity and simplification of thinking. “I don’t overthink my batting now. In the past, I used to overthink it — about planning, about getting away. Now, I try to think less and let the batsmen do the talking and react to the situation,” Heitmyer said.
The initial jitters of returning to third place eased as the race progressed. “It’s definitely easier now because I’ve been doing this for a while. I understand the role better, I know how situations develop and having the support of everyone on the team really helps. That support puts me in a more comfortable position,” he added.
His World Cup campaign so far has been marked by a fearless attitude and an unwavering belief in his ability to clear obstacles. He scored a 36-ball 64 against Scotland. Hetmyer turned the tide of the match against Zimbabwe on Monday night with a stunning 34-ball 85 that included seven fours and seven sixes.
The bigger test now will be to replicate that performance in West Indies’ next two crucial games.
Himron Heitmeier Records
1 – Shimron Hetmyer is the only batsman in this T20 World Cup to score 200+ runs with an average of 50+ and a strike rate of 175+.
452 – Hetmyer’s average of 50.22 in 11 innings, including three fifties, is the highest in T20Is in 2026.
37 – The sixes Hetmyer hit are the most by a batsman in T20Is this year. Ishan Kishan ranks second (27).
17 – Hetmyer hit six sixes in 5 innings, the joint most by a batsman in the T20 World Cup, following Nicholas Pooran’s record set in 2024 (7 innings).
250 – Recorded his best ever strike rate (minimum 50 points) in 85 games (34 goals) against Zim on 23 February 2026.
— Stats: Rajesh Kumar