With a growing sense of confidence and momentum behind them, West Indies ODI captain Shai Hope believes his team is poised to build on recent successes and hit the ground running as they begin their three-match One Day International (ODI) series against Ireland on Wednesday.

The Caribbean side has won three of their last five ODI series, including eye-catching triumphs over Bangladesh and England—the latter of whom they will face again after this Irish leg. While setbacks came against Australia and Sri Lanka, the overall trend has been positive, and Hope believes his group is on the cusp of something special.

The first ball is scheduled for 4:45 am Jamaica time (5:45 am Eastern Caribbean Time).

"This is a continuation of what we’ve been doing over the last few months as a squad, especially the back end of 2024. So it’s important we understand what the goal is. The guys are showing hunger, and we’re seeing good signs," Hope said during Tuesday’s pre-match press conference.

"I think the few days leading up to the series are certainly doing us well. I think whenever you come to these parts of the world, an extra couple of days will always be beneficial to the team, and the guys are settling in well, and we’re ready to go tomorrow,” he added.

Though Sherfane Rutherford and Romario Shepherd are unavailable for this series, Hope stressed that replacements John Campbell, who comes in for Rutherford, and Jediah Blades, who will join for the England series, are familiar with the team culture and expectations.

"The few guys who have been in as replacements, they have been around the setup for a little while as well. Even if they weren’t named in the squad, they have been around the team, so they have an understanding of what we’re trying to achieve going forward. We’re all on the same page; everyone is ready to jump on that same train and get on that 2027 World Cup,” he declared.

That long-term goal, Hope said, underpins the team’s current vision, which is a bold, proactive brand of cricket that distances them from past inconsistencies and establishes them as true contenders on the world stage.

"I think that we’ve shown glimpses of the brand that we’re trying to play. The last few series that we have been involved in, the guys have really shown that we are one of the teams to be reckoned with going forward. We just have to ensure that we understand what’s in front of us every single time we go out to play and understand the conditions quickly," Hope shared.

Ranked ninth in the world, the West Indies are three places ahead of Ireland, but the memory of Ireland’s 2-1 series win in the Caribbean in January 2022 is a sharp reminder that rankings do not tell the full story. Still, Hope is optimistic, especially given the improved conditions compared to their last tour of Ireland in 2019.

"I think the boys are sweating in this 13-degree weather in comparison to the threes that we had back in 2019, and the boys are acclimatising pretty well. We want to take the first punch mentality, I would say, instead of waiting back and allowing the opposition to get on top of us.

"So we’ve been showing great signs of that, and the preparations that we have been doing over the last couple of weeks, last couple of months, have always been geared towards that. So the more we can be consistent doing those simple things, then the more our progression will come with results,” he noted.

Meanwhile, Ireland captain Paul Stirling is taking a positive approach despite grappling with five injuries that have disrupted squad plans.

“It’s unfortunate, but injuries are part of sport. It gives some new faces a chance to step up sooner than expected, and that brings fresh energy, which is exciting. I feel as good as I’ve felt in a long time. I’ve been around long enough to know it’s not all outcome-based, but I can’t wait to get out there and play against the West Indies," Stirling said.