West Indies started their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign strongly. They beat Scotland by 35 runs at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Shimron Hetmyer powered the batting with a record-breaking fifty. And Romario Shepherd demolished Scotland’s lineup, taking five wickets, including a hat-trick.
Hetmyer’s Explosive Batting Powers West Indies
Shimron Hetmyer hit 64 runs off 36 balls. His 22-ball fifty set a new mark. It’s now the fastest by a West Indian in men’s T20 World Cups. This player, he only landed in Kolkata a day before the match. A small visa problem held him up. But he delivered.
West Indies captain Shai Hope said the team wanted Hetmyer to own the No. 3 spot. They needed a big hitter there, especially with other batters out. Hetmyer’s been in good form, scoring 75 and 48 not out against South Africa before the tournament. ESPN cricket reported on his importance to the team.
The West Indies had a slow powerplay, only 33 runs. Scotland’s spinners made it hard on a slow pitch. Hetmyer changed things from 58/2 in the tenth over. He and Rovman Powell put on an 81-run stand in 37 balls for the third wicket. Hetmyer smashed two fours and six sixes. 44 of his 64 runs came from boundaries.
Shepherd’s Game-Changing Five-Wicket Haul
Romario Shepherd bowled a match-winning spell. He ended with figures of 5-20. His bowling shifted the entire game. He got a hat-trick in the 17th over. Four wickets in five balls. That collapsed Scotland’s chase when they needed to score fast.
Scotland was keeping up for a while, making 115/4 at the drinks break. But Shepherd came in and ripped through their order. His wickets ended Scotland’s chances of chasing 183. Jason Holder helped out, taking 3-30. His efforts helped defend the West Indies’ 182/5 total.
Scotland’s Fight and Tournament Outlook
Scotland, led by Richie Berrington, won the toss and chose to field first. They came into the tournament replacing Bangladesh on short notice. Berrington sounded hopeful before the game. He told reporters,
“It’s a fantastic opportunity for us, it’s been a quick turnaround but everyone’s excited to be here. A lot of hard work has gone behind the scenes to get here.”
His comments were covered by ESPN.
Scotland batted well in parts. Richie Berrington scored 42, and Tom Bruce hit 35. They reached 100 runs in 11.5 overs. But an early catch by Hetmyer dropped Scotland to 37/3. They finished 147 all out.
West Indies head coach Daren Sammy had spoken about Scotland posing a challenge before the match. He had said,
“Scotland has always posed a challenge… I won’t claim we’re the favorites. We must deliver a solid performance every time.”
Sammy also mentioned the team’s belief, drawing parallels to their 2016 T20 World Cup victory at the same venue. ESPN also published his pre-game thoughts. Scotland had beaten West Indies in the 2022 T20 World Cup, a bit of history there. But not this time.
Soureesh Datta 
Sagnik Banerjee 
Priyanjan Paul