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Friday Dec 13, 2024
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Scotland cricketers celebrate the dismissal of a West Indian
wicket during their T20 World Cup encounter yesterday at Bellerive Oval in Hobart
HOBART, AFP: George Munsey hit an unbeaten 66 as Scotland hammered two-time champions the West Indies on Monday to cause a second major upset at the Twenty20 World Cup.
In the second match of the day in Hobart, Zimbabwe beat Ireland by 31 runs in their round-one opening match.
The West Indies’s shock defeat followed Namibia’s hammering of Asia Cup champions Sri Lanka, and puts Scotland on course for a Super 12 place for a second time.
“A lot of good memories from last year’s World Cup as well. We won that first game against Bangladesh, and I think we took a lot of belief from that,” Scotland captain Richie Berrington told reporters, describing it as a “special win”.
“The boys showed today how good we can be. That belief has always been there. We know if we execute our skills well, we can certainly give ourselves a good chance.” Munsey’s 53-ball knock laced with nine boundaries steered Scotland to 160-5.
Scotland’s openers raced to 52 in 5.3 overs when rain interrupted play.
Munsey hit a string of boundaries including three straight fours off Alzarri Joseph, whose first over at a T20 World Cup cost 15 runs.
The 45-minute rain break hit the batting momentum – Jason Holder bowled Jones for 20 soon after play resumed and then sent back Matthew Cross for three in his next over.
Munsey, named man of the match, stood firm and reached his first T20 World Cup fifty.
He finished with a flourish, hitting three fours in a 15-run 20th over from Odean Smith.
Left-arm spinner Mark Watt led the bowling charge to bundle out the West Indies – T20 world champions in 2012 and 2016 – for 118 in 18.3 overs.
The West Indies now have no margin for error in their bid to reach the Super 12 stage.
“Tough loss for us, obviously disappointed,” said skipper Nicholas Pooran.
“We have to work hard and win two games. We have to take accountability and responsibility.” Kyle Mayers started aggressively in the West Indies innings with three boundaries, but mistimed a hit and was caught by Munsey off-pace bowler Josh Davey. He made 20.
Evin Lewis and Brandon King hit back with a flurry of boundaries in their attempt to get quick runs in the first six overs of powerplay – when only two fielders are allowed outside the inner circle.
But their stay was shortlived as Lewis fell for 14 and King was dismissed by Watt, who returned figures of 3-12 from his four overs.
The two-time champions slipped further at 62-4 when off-spinner Michael Leask bowled Pooran for five.
Scotland’s bowlers kept chipping away as the rest of the West Indies batting caved in, despite a valiant 38 by Holder, who was the last man out.
Sikandar Raza stood tall in the second match as his 82 off 48 balls helped Zimbabwe to 174-7 after being out invited to bat first.
Bowlers led by Blessing Muzarabani, with figures of 3-23, then kept down Ireland to 143-9 as Zimbabwe took second place in the Group B table behind Scotland.
