England’s opening duo, Maia Bouchier and Danni Wyatt-Hodge, formed an unbeaten century partnership, leading England to a commanding 10-wicket victory over Scotland at the Women’s T20 World Cup on Sunday.
England’s bowlers kept Scotland in check, restricting them to 109 runs for 6 wickets in their 20 overs. Left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone was particularly effective, taking 2 wickets for just 13 runs.
Chasing a modest target, England finished the match with 10 overs to spare. Bouchier scored 62 runs off 34 balls, earning the Player of the Match award, as her team moved closer to securing a semi-final spot.
With this third consecutive win, England topped Group B, ahead of South Africa, who have three victories out of four matches, and the West Indies. England will face the West Indies on Tuesday in Dubai to determine the two teams that will advance to the semi-finals.
Captain Heather Knight emphasized the importance of maintaining their momentum: “We want to keep winning and make it to the semis.”
Scotland, making their first appearance in the tournament, ended without a win and have already exited the competition along with Bangladesh. Captain Kathryn Bryce reflected on the experience, stating it was a tough tournament but a great honor to lead her team.
Bouchier started the chase aggressively, hitting three consecutive fours and reaching her fifty in just 30 balls. Wyatt-Hodge contributed significantly as well, scoring 51 runs off 26 balls.
Scotland initially looked strong, with Sarah Bryce helping them to 38 runs without losing a wicket by the eighth over. However, medium-pacer Nat Sciver-Brunt made a breakthrough by dismissing opener Saskia Horley for 13 runs. Ecclestone then stumped Sarah Bryce for 27, leading to a collapse in Scotland’s batting lineup. Kathryn Bryce tried to stabilize the innings with a quick 33 runs off 28 balls, but the wickets continued to fall, and Scotland struggled to build partnerships.
