West Indies Women Thrash Scotland by 6 Wickets to Secure First Win in Mega Event
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West Indies Women registered a commanding 6-wicket victory over Scotland Women with 50 balls to spare in a crucial group-stage encounter of the ongoing T20 tournament.
This comprehensive win marks the Women in Maroon’s first success in the competition and significantly boosts their Net Run Rate.
Scotland Women, opting to bat first, faltered early in their innings as they lost both openers, Saskia Horley (11 off 9) and Sarah Bryce (2 off 7), cheaply. The experienced Kathryn Bryce (25 off 31) and Ailsa Lister (26 off 33) attempted to steady the ship, but they struggled to accelerate the scoring rate on a slow surface. West Indies pacer Chinelle Henry kept the pressure on with a brilliant spell, bowling consecutive maiden overs and picking up two crucial wickets.
Afy Fletcher capitalized on the early breakthroughs and dismantled Scotland’s middle order, removing the set batters Kathryn Bryce and Ailsa Lister in quick succession.
Her impressive three-wicket haul left Scotland reeling, as wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals. Darcey Carter (14* off 15) and Lorna Jack (11 off 11) provided some resistance at the end, but Scotland could only muster 99/8 from their 20 overs.
Fletcher was the standout bowler for West Indies with figures of 3/18, while Henry, Hayley Matthews, and Karishma Ramharack chipped in with a wicket apiece to restrict Scotland to a below-par total.
In response, West Indies Women faced an early hiccup when Rachel Slater dismissed Stafanie Taylor for just 4 runs in the opening over. Hayley Matthews, despite her reputation as a prolific scorer, struggled to find her rhythm, and after a sluggish 8 off 19 balls, she was caught by Priyanaz Chatterji.
Qiana Joseph, however, played a crucial counter-attacking knock, smashing 31 off 18 balls to keep West Indies on track for a comfortable chase. Despite her eventual dismissal by Olivia Bell, West Indies had already crossed the 50-run mark, with the required run rate well under control.
With a modest target in sight, Shemaine Campbelle (22* off 20) and Chedean Nation (17* off 9) guided the team to victory in the 12th over, sealing the match with 50 balls to spare.
This dominant performance puts West Indies Women back in contention, and the win significantly bolsters their Net Run Rate as they look to build momentum in the tournament. Scotland, on the other hand, will need to regroup and come up with a stronger performance in their upcoming matches to keep their campaign alive.
Match Summary:
Scotland Women: 99/8 in 20 overs (Ailsa Lister 26, Kathryn Bryce 25, Afy Fletcher 3/18)
West Indies Women: 100/4 in 11.4 overs (Qiana Joseph 31, Shemaine Campbelle 22*, Rachel Slater 1/8)
Result: West Indies Women won by 6 wickets with 50 balls to spare.