The first ball of the three-match One-Day International (ODI) series between host West Indies and Sri Lanka will be bowled at Sabina Park this morning at 9:30, and home team captain Shai Hope knows exactly what’s at stake.

The last few meetings between both sides have been tight with Sri Lanka winning three times and the West Indies victorious twice. Interestingly, the chasing team won all five matches.

However, based on home advantage, the men from the West Indies have the edge, sweeping the Sri Lankans 3-0 in the 2021 ODI series in Antigua.

“Whenever you want to play a series against a strong side you want to be victorious,” Hope said on the eve of the opener.

“We just want to play the best cricket as we can, try and get as many wins as we possibly can. We understand the importance of that March deadline in 2027 and so play good cricket good and let’s hope that results take care of itself in the backend,” he further said.

That 2027 deadline — the cut-off for automatic World Cup qualification — looms over every ODI the West Indies play now. Every win matters, and starting at home is non-negotiable.

For Hope, the groundwork is already done.

“Training has been going on pretty well. The guys have been preparing the last few days in Antigua for this particular series. I would say the preparation has been very fruitful, the guys are quite clear of the [goal] and what they need to do. It is about going to execute now,” he stated.

Sabina Park has been kind to West Indies in the longer format recently, and Hope wants that to carry over into the 50-over game.

“The key is to win. We are here on home soil. As I said, preparation has been going pretty nicely and so execution is the main thing for the day and hopefully we can get a good start tomorrow (today) and get the ball rolling,” Hope affirmed.

Asked where the team’s strength lies, Hope pointed to a batting unit that’s quietly become the side’s backbone.

“I don’t want to point fingers, but I just believe the way how we have been batting for the last year or two or probably even longer, the top six, baring the opening pair, now and again, we have been pretty solid and consistent.

“[Roston] Chase has been prolific in his number fifth position. Sherfane [Rutherford] has been doing the same thing. So we have had a pretty strong top six in the last couple of years and the data has shown that we have been improving in many areas especially in the middle overs when we usually face a lot of spin. We have finding ways to combat that and so I must commend the guys up front.

“So, if I had to choose one, maybe the batting but our bowling has been exceptional as well. The couple of series that we played, especially on home soil, we saw likes of Jayden against Pakistan in the Caribbean how he ran through those opening batters,” Hope explained.

For Hope, the mission now is simple: Consistency across both disciplines.

“We are just trying to get the balance right, in terms of consistency in both bat and ball and just to ensure we are playing the best cricket that we can,” he affirmed.

And as captain, he’s setting the tone himself.

“Again, I will try to lead from the front in any department that I am called upon and I am going to do so and try to help the guys on the field,” Hope ended.