West Indies low run scoring rate has come under severe criticism after Bangladesh scripted the second highest run chase in World Cup history.

Shai Hope defended his 121-ball 96, saying he looked to provide stability with wickets falling on the other end. Bangladesh chased the 300+ score with 8.3 overs to spare, West Indies skipper Jason Holder said they were under par as far as the scoring rate was concerned.

However, the wicket-keeper batsman Shai Hope brushed it aside and said his main aim was to provide stability in middle overs to a side that has been losing wickets in regularity.

"Whenever I step to the crease, it's a case of batting as long as possible. Don't leave it for anyone else in the final overs, you just have to take responsibility," Hope was quoted as saying by the ICC website.

After three losses in five games, West Indies is seventh in the points tally and now face an uphill task to make it to the semi-finals.

Hope promised to do whatever he can to help the West Indies. "I can massively improve it (the strike rate). Whatever I can do to improve, I'll do that," he said.

"But it was a bit of a difficult spot for me in the sense that we keep losing wickets in the middle overs and putting the lower half under a bit of pressure. Having said that we need to keep the innings together and get as many runs as we can, especially in the back-end," added the 25-year-old.

Next, they face New Zealand on Saturday, Hope said now is the time if he and his teammates want to turn their form around. "It's now must-win. We have to put everything into getting those runs. As a team, we have to go back to the drawing board, find solutions and go and win the game," said Hope.

(With Inputs from PTI)