BRISTOL: Defending champions New Zealand overcame a jittery start to beat Scotland and keep their hopes of reaching the semi-final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 alive at the County Ground on Tuesday.
New Zealand chased down a 132-run target inside 18 overs, losing four wickets in the process.
The Wildcats pushed White Ferns on the back foot with a dominant start, reducing them to 26-3 in the first five overs.
Kathryn Bryce accounted for skipper Melie Kerr and Isabella Gaze wickets, both scoring two and 12 runs respectively. The reigning champions were left in deep trouble when seasoned batter Sophie Devine was cleaned by Rachel Slater for just one run.
With their side in dire straits, Izzy Sharp and Brooke Halliday launched a swift recovery, sharing a match-winning 101 stand for the fourth wicket. The pair kept the opposition bowlers at bay with Sharp raising her half-century in the 17th over.
She was eventually dismissed for a well-made 62 off 43 balls, including eight fours and a six. At this stage, New Zealand were 127-3 in 17.4 overs.
But Brooke Halliday ensured that her side got over the line and scored the winning runs. Halliday made 41* off 38 balls, including three fours.
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For Scotland, Rachel Slater and Kathryn Bryce took two wickets each.
Earlier, Scotland managed to score 131-7 in 20 overs, despite Darcey Carter top-scoring with an unbeaten 72 off 52 balls, striking a six and eight fours.
Carter held the Scotland innings together, first adding a 51-run stand for the opening wicket. She then followed it up with a string of partnerships in the lower order.
However, New Zealand bowlers continued to chip away with regular wickets, particularly in the middle overs, to halt their progress.
The turning moment was Sophie Devine’s double-wicket 16th over, leaving Scotland 98-4 in 14.5 overs. In the next over, another wicket fell as Scotland lost the plot in a cheap manner. Eventually, they were restricted to a below-par score.
Melie Kerr starred with the ball for New Zealand, picking up a three-wicket haul.
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