T20 World Cup: Hetmyer, Shepherd Propel West Indies To 35-run Win Over Scotland (ld)

T20 World Cup: Hetmyer, Shepherd propel West Indies to 35-run win over Scotland (ld) (Image Source: IANS)

T20 World Cup: Shimron Hetmyer’s fluent 64 and Romario Shepherd’s sensational 5-20, including a hat-trick, propelled the West Indies to a 35-run victory over Scotland in their first Group C game in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Saturday.

West Indies were circumspect early, making 33 without loss in the Power-play. Though openers Brandon King and captain Shai Hope departed in quick succession, Hetmyer, fresh from visa-related travel delays, picked up the lengths quickly to seize control of the innings by smacking a 22-ball fifty - the fastest half-century hit by a West Indies male player in World Cup history.

Hetmyer, who hit two fours and six maximums at a strike-rate of 177.78, added 81 runs for the third wicket with Rovman Powell, who played second fiddle through a 14-ball 24, while Sherfane Rutherford’s late cameo of 26 off 13 balls lifted the West Indies to a competitive 182/5.

Scotland were going well in the chase by reaching 115/3 in 13.1 overs, with skipper Richie Berrington and Tom Bruce, a former New Zealand international, threatening to take the game deep. But Jason Holder struck a decisive blow by dismissing Berrington to get his 100th T20I wicket scalp.

From there, Shepherd sealed the contest with a fiery burst in the death overs – taking four wickets in five balls of the 17th over to get his second hat-trick in the format, as Scotland’s innings unravelled and they were bowled out for 147 in 18.5 overs – losing their last seven wickets for just 32 runs. It also made Shepherd the first bowler to pick a hat-trick in the ongoing tournament and the tenth overall in the history of the competition.

Scotland had their share of struggles against Holder, who was finding movement under lights, with Michael Jones picking out square leg to perfection. After Shepherd castled Brandon McMullen under lights, Hetmyer pulled off a one-handed stunner at the ropes to dismiss George Munsey, as Scotland lost three wickets in the power-play.

A 77-run partnership between Berrington and Bruce revived hopes, with both finding boundaries at a quick pace against spinners Akeal Hosein and Gudakesh Motie to bring the asking rate under 10. But in the 14th over, Holder struck a decisive blow by removing the dangerous Berrington with an off-cutter he sliced to deep cover and got his 100th T20I scalp, while Motie accounted for Bruce soon after by trapping him lbw on a slog sweep.

From 132/5, Scotland collapsed spectacularly as Shepherd ran through the lower order – Matthew Cross sliced to point, Michael Leask holed out to long-on, debutant Oliver Davidson was cleaned up by a nip-backer, and Safyaan Sharif chipped to mid-off. Holder then ended Scotland’s innings by having Mark Watt caught at short third man to help the West Indies get off to a winning start.

Previously, asked to bat first, Hope and King made a watchful start, reaching 27 without loss in four overs, with Brad Currie finding grip off the surface and forcing the openers to recalibrate their approach on a deck not conducive to strokeplay.

Watt maintained the pressure by mixing pace and length cleverly and even beat Hope on the pull. After a sedate power-play, the momentum shifted in the seventh over as King capitalised with a six down the ground off Sharif and a crisp drive through extra cover, before slapping a short ball behind point, getting him two fours in a 17-run over.

But Scotland struck back quickly - Michael Leask removed Hope in the ninth over, while debutant Oliver Davidson dismissed King soon after, leaving West Indies at 58/2 at the halfway mark. Hetmyer then turned the tide by racing to 33 off 16 balls as West Indies plundered 32 runs between overs 10 and 12.

His ferocious ball-striking - 40 of his first 52 runs coming in boundaries - neutralised the conditions and then got his fifty by sending Davidson over cover for six. Though he and Powell fell to Currie and Sharif respectively, as 44 runs came in the last five overs, Rutherford’s big-hitting, comprising four boundaries and a six, ensured the West Indies crossed the 180-run mark, which was sufficient to get a win at the venue where they won the World Cup in 2016.

Brief scores:

His ferocious ball-striking - 40 of his first 52 runs coming in boundaries - neutralised the conditions and then got his fifty by sending Davidson over cover for six. Though he and Powell fell to Currie and Sharif respectively, as 44 runs came in the last five overs, Rutherford’s big-hitting, comprising four boundaries and a six, ensured the West Indies crossed the 180-run mark, which was sufficient to get a win at the venue where they won the World Cup in 2016.

--IANS

Article Source: IANS