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- West Indies vs Scotland highlights, T20 World Cup 2026: Romario Shepherd's hat-trick leads West Indies to victory over Scotland
West Indies vs Scotland highlights, T20 World Cup 2026: Romario Shepherd's hat-trick leads West Indies to victory over Scotland
Shimron Hetmyer had earlier set up the commanding win with a fluent 64 and taking the West Indies to 182/5, before Shepherd sealed the contest with a fiery burst in the death overs – taking four wickets in five balls of the 17th over.
It also made Shepherd the first bowler to pick a hat-trick in the ongoing tournament and tenth overall in the history of the competition. Scotland were going well in the chase by reaching 115/3 in 13.1 overs, with skipper Richie Berrington and Tom Bruce, 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 and from there with Shepherd also striking to get his second hat-trick in the format, Scotland’s innings unraveled and were bowled out for 147 in 18.5 overs – losing their last seven wickets for just 32 runs.
After nearly a month of discussions with the Bangladesh Cricket Board, the ICC were ultimately compelled to replace Bangladesh with Scotland, resulting in a dramatic entry for the Europeans just two weeks before the tournament got underway.
Bangladesh were scheduled to play four group matches in India, three of them in Kolkata, but the BCB stayed firm on its decision not to travel, citing "security concerns".
The chain of events was triggered on January 3, when the BCCI instructed Kolkata Knight Riders to release Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL 2026 squad amid worsening ties between India and Bangladesh.
Matters escalated the following day when the BCB informed the ICC that the Bangladesh team would not travel to India for its matches and held its ground, clearing the path for Scotland’s inclusion based on rankings.
However, Scotland, who finished fourth in the European Qualifier behind the Netherlands, Italy and Jersey, have insisted they are far more than last-minute replacements.
"We're very sympathetic towards Bangladesh players. But we still massively believe that we should be here," left-arm spinner Mark Watt, one of Scotland’s most experienced campaigners with 77 T20Is and 82 ODIs, said on the eve of the opener.
"We had a blip in the summer and we believe that we should be here and we believe that we can be beating teams higher ranked than us. So there's no second guessing our invite into this tournament. We're all ready to go," he added.
Oliver Davidson to Shai Hope, Slower through the air and a bit short, trying to keep it away from the batter's arc. Hope reaches out and chops it down to cover.
Oliver Davidson to Brandon King, Fires it in, full and on off, Brandon does not move his feet at all and pushes it past the cover fielder for a single.
Spin replaces spin. Oliver Davidson is brought into the attack, replacing Mark Watt.
- Brandon King 32 (25)
- Shai Hope 17 (17)
Safyaan Sharif to Brandon King, 50 up for West Indies! Off-cutter, on a length, on middle and leg. Brandon wrists it to deep mid-wicket for one more. 17 runs off the over.
Safyaan Sharif to Shai Hope, Keeps it nice and full, on off, Shai knocks it to long off and turns the strike over.
Safyaan Sharif to Brandon King, Back to bowling it full, on middle, whipped to long on for a run.
Safyaan Sharif to Brandon King, FOUR! Hammered! Brandon King is on the charge after the drinks break. Pace taken off by Safyaan, on the shorter side, outside off. Brandon gets the width to work with and he slaps it to the left of the sweeper cover for four more.
It remains to be seen if the West Indies adjust their approach.
Safyaan Sharif to Brandon King, FOUR! Lovely shot! Sharif bowls it a bit too full, outside off, King just leans into the drive and threads the drive between cover and mid off for a four.
Safyaan Sharif to Brandon King, SIX! Straight as an arrow! Sharif lands it full, on middle. King jumps out of the crease and swings through the line with a straight bat. It goes over the bowler's head for a flat six.
DRINKS BREAK. Scotland have displayed a lot of discipline with the ball so far. However, they are still searching for their first breakthrough. Hope and King haven't been flashy and have respected the good balls, but they haven't gotten the desired start they would have hoped for. There are no such demons on the pitch, just a slight hold on it, nothing else. It is about time one of these two starts to tee off to zoom up the scoring rate with a lot of firepower to follow down the order. Safyaan Sharif (1-0-4-0) to bowl after the break.
- Brandon King 16 (20)
- Shai Hope 16 (16)
Mark Watt to Brandon King, Fuller and on off, this is eased to long off for a single. At the end of 6 overs, West Indies are 33/0.
Mark Watt to Brandon King, A big swing and a miss! Shorter and pushed through, over off. Brandon clears the front leg and has a big swing across the line but the ball kicks up a bit to go over the blade.
Mark Watt to Brandon King, Floated up, full and on off, Brandon drives firmly but can't beat the cover fielder.
Mark Watt to Shai Hope, Drifting in, very full, on middle, Hope strokes it to long off for one.
Mark Watt to Shai Hope, Around off, a bit full, on off. Shai makes room and slaps it to cover.
Mark Watt to Shai Hope, Sliding on with the arm, on a nagging length, on middle. Hope backs away and punches it to cover.
Will Brad Currie continue? He won't. Mark Watt (1-0-6-0) returns.
- Shai Hope 15 (13)
- Brandon King 15 (17)
Safyaan Sharif to Shai Hope, On off and full by Sharif, Hope clears the front leg and heaves it to mid on's left. The fielder makes a half stop and the ball is deflected to his left for a quick single.
Safyaan Sharif to Shai Hope, On a back of length, slightly holding onto the pitch, around off, Shai Hope gets on the toes, and slices it wide of backward point for a couple of easy runs.
Safyaan Sharif to Brandon King, Full and outside off, King presses in front and smashes the cover drive, but the short cover fielder dives to his right, parries the ball to mid off. They cross.
Safyaan Sharif to Brandon King, Pitched very short, on off. King charges down and flat bats it, but gets the connection off the toe end to mid off.
Safyaan Sharif to Brandon King, Another in-angler, King works it to the cover region.
Safyaan Sharif to Brandon King, Beaten! Nips back in sharply from a good length, over middle. Brandon King is cut in half, cramped for room and gets beaten all ends up on the inside edge.
- Brandon King 14 (13)
- Shai Hope 12 (11)
Brad Currie to Brandon King, Off cutter, outside off, dabbed to the point region off the back foot.
Brad Currie to Brandon King, Currie shortens the length, seeing King charge down, and angles into the bodyline. King punches it out to cover.
Brad Currie to Brandon King, EDGED, FOUR! Streaky, but that will do for King. A bit overpitched outside off, Brandon King throws his bat at it, but only manages a fat leading edge and the ball flies over short third and bounces into the ropes for a boundary.
Brad Currie to Brandon King, Straighter line, on the stumps, on a good length, Brandon King taps it using soft hands to the leg side.
Brad Currie to Shai Hope, Wide on off, on a length, eased away to deep backward point for an easy run.
Brad Currie to Brandon King, In the air... safe! Pushed across the batter by Currie, full in length. Brandon King looks to launch it downtown, but the ball nips away off the pitch and catches the leading edge. Flies over wide backward point and lands on the bounce in front of the charging Michael Leask for a single.
Double change? Nope. Brad Currie will continue. He went for 7 runs in his first over.
- Shai Hope 11 (10)
- Brandon King 8 (8)
Mark Watt to Shai Hope, Quicker one now, coming into the batter with the arm, Hope plays off the back foot and tucks it to mid on.
Mark Watt to Shai Hope, FOUR! Absolutely crunched! Mark offers a lot of width, outside off, on a shorter length. Shai Hope is quick to go deep in the crease and punches it to the right of the diving point fielder and picks up another boundary to his name.
Mark Watt to Shai Hope, Nicely flighted, fractionally full and outside off, spinning away. Hope leaves.
Mark Watt to Brandon King, A slider onto the pads, on a good length, nudged to the deep backward square leg region for a single.
Mark Watt to Shai Hope, The in-dipper on a length, on off, Hope backs away, creates room and taps it away in the cover-point region for a run.
Mark Watt to Shai Hope, Watt starts with a full ball, around off, Hope cracks the drive, but hits it straight to the short cover fielder.
- Shai Hope 6 (5)
- Brandon King 7 (7)
Brad Currie to Shai Hope, Wide line again, outside off and full, Hope slashes it like a knife to deep backward point for a single.
Brad Currie to Shai Hope, FOUR! Caressed! Outside off on a back of a length, Shai Hope waits for it to arrive and opens the bat face to guide it to deep third for a boundary.
Brad Currie to Shai Hope, Lands it full and in the channel, Hope gets on the front foot and forces the drive to the cover fielder.
Brad Currie to Shai Hope, On a back of a length, outside off, Hope hangs back and punches it to cover-point.
Brad Currie to Brandon King, Swings back in from off, on a good length, Brandon King lets the ball curve and taps it in front of mid off for a tight single.
Brad Currie to Brandon King, On a nagging length, across off, King leans on and slaps it away but cannot get it past short cover. Played more off the inner half of the bat.
Brad Currie to Brandon King, WIDE! Far outside off, beyond the tramline. King ignores. Wide called.
It will be the left-arm speedster, Brad Currie to steam in from the other end.
- Brandon King 6 (5)
- Shai Hope 1 (1)
Brandon McMullen to Brandon King, 'Catch it' is the call, but it lands safe! Pitched full, swinging away late, around off. King mistimes the lofted shot to the off side, but manages to clear the cover region for a single. 7 runs from the first over.
Brandon McMullen to Brandon King, Gentle outswing, on a good length, outside off, King shapes to square cut, but gets a fat inside edge in front as the ball rolls back to the bowler.
Brandon McMullen to Shai Hope, Much fuller, outside off, Hope pushes it to the widish mid off region for a quick run.
Brandon McMullen to Brandon King, Swinging away, outside off, King gets on the front foot and drives it down to long off for a single.
Brandon McMullen to Brandon King, Drags the length back, does McMullen, on off, Brandon King shoulders arms.
Former New Zealand batter Tom Bruce strengthens the middle order, Afghanistan-born 19-year-old seamer Zainullah Ihsan brings raw pace, while Watt’s variations and Brandon McMullen’s explosive hitting — including a 95 off 39 in a warm-up — highlight their potential to spring surprises.
West Indies, two-time champions who last lifted the trophy at this very venue in 2016, will nonetheless pose a serious threat despite mixed recent form.
Sherfane Rutherford (334 runs) and Shai Hope (276 runs) impressed in the recently concluded SA20 for Pretoria Capitals, while Shamar Joseph and Akeal Hosein provide plenty of firepower with the ball.
Match Statistics
Venue
Eden Gardens, Kolkata
