Winning the toss and opting to bowl first, Scotland’s decision paid off well, and they successfully restricted West Indies to a total of 181 runs. The West Indies batting lineup struggled to find momentum, with only a few batters managing to make significant contributions.
Although Jason Holder played a patient knock of 45 runs and Romario Shepherd contributed resilient 36 runs, the rest of the Caribbean batters failed to make an impact and the Men in Maroon were eventually bowled out in the 44th over.
Scotland’s bowlers were on top of their game, applying consistent pressure and picking up wickets at regular intervals. Brandon McMullen and Chris Sole were the standout performers with the ball, claiming three wickets each for their side. Meanwhile, Mark Watt and Chris Greaves chipped in with two wickets each.
In reply, Scotland got off to a shaky start as Christopher McBride departed without scoring. However, Matthew Cross and McMullen steadied the innings with a brilliant partnership. Cross played a crucial knock of 74 runs, including seven fours, while McMullen anchored the innings with a composed 69 runs, which included eight boundaries and a six.
George Munsey and Richie Berrington also made valuable contributions, ensuring there were no major hiccups during the chase. In the end, Scotland reached the target with three wickets in hand and 15 balls to spare.
For the West Indies, Holder and Shepherd managed to pick up a wicket each, but their efforts were not enough to defend the modest total. The rest of the bowling attack struggled to make breakthroughs, allowing Scotland to build partnerships and control the game.
Scotland’s triumph in this crucial encounter keeps their hopes alive in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers 2023. On the other hand, it will be the first time in the cricketing history that West Indies won’t feature in the ODI World Cup event.
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