The Eden Gardens in Kolkata has always been a special place for West Indies cricket, and Saturday night was no different. In the second match of the West Indies vs Scotland T20 World Cup 2026 campaign, the Men in Maroon signaled their arrival with a dominant 35-run victory, thanks to a record-breaking hat-trick by Romario Shepherd and a batting masterclass from Shimron Hetmyer.
Hetmyer Turns the Tide
After being put into bat, the West Indies found themselves in a bit of a grind. Scotland’s bowlers, led by the disciplined Brad Currie, were tight in the Powerplay, restricting the two-time champions to just 33 runs.
However, the game shifted the moment Shimron Hetmyer walked to the crease at Number 3. Hetmyer looked like he was playing on a different surface, smashing a 64 off just 36 balls. He reached his half-century in 22 deliveries—the fastest by any West Indian in T20 World Cup history. Combined with Rovman Powell’s 24 and Sherfane Rutherford’s late blitz, the Windies posted a formidable 182/5.
The Scottish Resurgence
Scotland, who entered the tournament as a last-minute replacement for Bangladesh, didn’t back down. Despite losing early wickets, skipper Richie Berrington (42) and Tom Bruce (35) put together a brilliant 78-run partnership. At 115/3, the Scots were genuinely threatening to pull off the first major upset of the tournament.
But then, experience took over. Jason Holder broke the stand by dismissing Berrington, a wicket that also saw him become the first West Indian bowler to reach 100 T20I wickets.
Shepherd’s Moment of Magic
While Holder made history, Romario Shepherd stole the show. With Scotland needing 51 from the final four overs, Shepherd produced a death-over masterclass.
In the 17th over, he picked up four wickets in five balls, including a stunning hat-trick that cleaned up the Scottish tail. He dismissed Matthew Cross, Michael Leask, and Oliver Davidson in consecutive deliveries to end any hope of a Scotland comeback. Shepherd finished with career-best figures of 5/20, leaving the Scottish chase in tatters as they were bowled out for 147.
Brief Scores:
- West Indies: 182/5 (Shimron Hetmyer 64, Brandon King 35; Brad Currie 2/23)
- Scotland: 147 all out (Richie Berrington 42, Tom Bruce 35; Romario Shepherd 5/20)
- Result: West Indies won by 35 runs.
- Player of the match: Shimron Hetmyer
The Verdict
For the West Indies, this was a perfect start. They showed they can survive a slow start and find heroes in both departments. For Scotland, it was a “what if” game—they dominated for long patches but learned the hard way that you cannot afford a collapse against a side as explosive as the Men in Maroon.
