Two-time world champions West Indies stumbled over the first hurdle in the qualification phase for the 2022 Men’s T20 World Cup when they suffered a 42-run defeat to Scotland.
West Indies won the toss in their opening First Round Group B match and chose to chase in prime conditions for batting, managing 118 in 18.3 overs in response to 160-5.
Scotland opener George Munsey top scored with 66 not out from 53 balls, including nine fours. He was ably assisted by Michael Jones with 20 runs and Calum MacLeod, 23.
Jason Holder was the pick of the bowlers for the West Indies, taking two for 14 from his three overs at an economy rate of 4.66. Alazarri Joseph was also effective in his first change role with two wickets for 28 runs off four overs.
In reply, Nicholas Pooran’s men got off to a blistering start, finishing the powerplay on 53-2, but lost both openers in Kyle Mayers (20) and Evin Lewis (14) as dark clouds started to loom. After Brandon King was bowled trying to cut the spin of Mark Watt in the seventh over with the score at 58-3, the onus was on the West Indies to take the initiative with Duckworth Lewis-Stern threatening to play a part in proceedings.
What followed was a collapse of epic proportions.
Only Jason Holder managed a double digit score (38). The West Indies lost the next seven wickets for 26 runs to slump to 79 for eight. The required run rate had climbed to 11.71, leaving the result a mere formality.
Holder would later hold out to the Chris Greaves at the long off boundary off the bowling of Safyaan Sharif to seal an upset for Scotland.
Munsey won the Player of the Match award for his knock.
Much like Sri Lanka over in Group A, West Indies will now have to win their following two games versus Zimbabwe and United Arab Emirates and hope for favours in the other games starting with Ireland and Scotland on Wednesday.
In the other Group B match, Zimbabwe beat Ireland by 31 runs.
Summarised scores:
Zimbabwe 174-7 in 20 overs (Sikandar Raza 82; Josh Little 3-24). Ireland 143-9 in 20 overs (Curtis Campher 27; Blessing Muzarabani 3-23). Zimbabwe won by 31 runs.
