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Former champions West Indies recovered from their opening rout against South Africa to defeat Scotland by six wickets in the Women’s T20 World Cup on Sunday.
The 2016 winners, who suffered a 10-wicket drubbing from the South Africans on Friday at the same venue in Dubai, were rarely threatened by a Scotland side making their tournament debut this year.
The Scots struggled to reach 99-8 in their 20 overs before West Indies chased down their target with 50 balls to spare, securing victory and an impressive increase in their net run rate.
Qiana Joseph top-scored with 31 from 18 balls, hitting three fours and a six.
Deandra Dottin hit two sixes in her unbeaten 28 off 15 balls while sharing an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 42 with player of the match Chinelle Henry.
Henry made a quick 18 off 10 balls, including two fours and a six, after returning figures of 1-10 from four overs of fast bowling.
“We did pretty well with the ball, limiting boundaries,” West Indies captain Hayley Matthews said.
“We put ourselves in a safe position and then we thought about the net run rate and we did it.”
Electing to bat first, skippers Kathryn Bryce (25) and Ailsa Lister (26) had attempted to steady the ship for Scotland with a 46-run partnership for the third wicket after both openers were back in the pavilion with only 13 on the board.
However, Bryce and Lister fell to 37-year-old Afy Fletcher, who also dismissed Priyanaz Chatterji for a first-ball duck as the Scots’ middle order collapsed.
“With the firepower they have, it was tricky,” Bryce admitted.
“We didn’t get a good start, we didn’t get any momentum in the middle.”
Matthews had opener Saskia Horley caught at midwicket by Dottin in the second over to reach 100 wickets in international T20 cricket.
Scotland have now lost their opening two World Cup matches after being trailed by 16 points to Bangladesh on Thursday.
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