T20 World Cup: Hetmyer’s 64 and Shepherd’s 5-wicket haul power West Indies past Scotland

West Indies opened their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign with a convincing 35-run victory over Scotland at Kolkata’s iconic Eden Gardens. After winning the toss, Scotland elected to field and the two-time champions posted a competitive 182 for 5 in their allotted 20 overs, building a strong platform through key batting contributions.

Shimron Hetmyer was the standout batter for the West Indies, smashing a fluent 64 off 36 balls with a strike rate of over 177, while Brandon King added 35 and Sherfane Rutherford finished with 26 off 13 late-innings runs. Rovman Powell chipped in with a brisk 24, helping set a challenging target for the Scottish side. Scotland’s chase got off to a promising start, with captain Richie Berrington top-scoring with 42 and Tom Bruce making 35, but the momentum shifted dramatically in the death overs. Romario Shepherd produced a remarkable bowling performance, claiming 5 wickets for just 20 runs — including a hat-trick — to derail the chase. Jason Holder supported with 3 crucial scalps.

The Scottish innings ended at 147 in 18.5 overs, well short of the 183-run target. West Indies’ all-round display highlighted their experience and firepower, while Scotland showed resilience but ultimately lacked the sustained partnerships needed for victory.