Women’s T20 World Cup: Scotland agonisingly short of famous win over West Indies

T20 World Cup, Group 2, Headingley

West Indies 153-6 (20 overs): Taylor 47* (19); Fraser 2-34

Scotland 146 (over 20): Carter 59 (62), List 33 (25)

West Indies won by seven runs

Scorecard. Tables

Scotland failed to achieve a famous victory in the T20 World Cup and the West Indies somehow won a tumultuous match at Headingley.

Stafanie Taylor’s 19-ball 47 not out and Darcey Carter, who lost four wickets for seven runs in her 154-run chase, Darcey Carter, who is struggling with a calf injury, and Ailsa Lister took the Scots to the point of needing 22 runs in the final two overs.

Deandra Dottin was reduced to tears as she took 13 from the 18th over but Windies seamer Aaliyah Alleyne held her nerve despite the tension, dismissing Carter for 59, Lister for 33 and Kirstie Gordon’s penultimate first ball.

Yet Scotland refused to go quietly. They struggled to the point of needing 13 from the final four balls with two wickets remaining, only to seal out a seven-run lead for Qiana Joseph, who had earlier given up catches and bowled two terribly timed no-balls – Scotland were bowled out for 146.

Scotland were superb for most of the first innings – athletic in the field and smart with the ball – but the veteran Taylor, playing his first match of the tournament at 35, hit three sixes in his final five balls to add to their faltering innings of 85-5 in the 15th over.

In the end, this was decisive.

Scotland’s hopes of progressing are not over after beating Ireland for the first time in the World Cup on Saturday, but they will face England on Saturday after being denied a major scalp that would have given them a real chance of reaching the semi-finals.

The West Indies take action again against Sri Lanka in Bristol on Sunday.