Shimron Hetmyer and Romario Shepherd’s record-breaking performances gave the West Indies a sweeping 35-run victory over Scotland in their opening match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
Hetmyer scored the fastest half-century by a West Indian at a T20 World Cup, making 64 off 36 balls, which provided the foundation for their total of 182 for 5 in 20 overs.
Scotland was in the hunt for a historic win, but Shepherd’s hat-trick – the first by a West Indies bowler at a T20 World Cup – saw them being bowled out for 147 in 18.5 overs.
Windies’ win was set up by Hetmyer’s brilliant knock, which breathed life back into their innings following a slow start by openers Brandon King and Shai Hope, who only managed to make 33 runs.
King started to accelerate, hitting pacer Safyaan Sharif for a six and two fours to start the seventh over that leaked 17 runs to bring up the Windies’ 50.
Four runs later, Hope was bowled by off-spinner Michael Leask for 19 off 22 balls.
Hetmyer then joined King at the crease, but after scoring 35 off 30 balls, King hit a delivery from left-arm spinner Oliver Davidson straight into the hands of George Munsey, leaving the score on 58 for two in the 10th over.
Rovman Powell joined Hetmyer and transformed the West Indies’ position during an 81-run partnership in six overs.
Hetmyer brought up his 50 off just 22 balls, bettering Chris Gayle’s 23-ball half-century against Australia in 2009.
Soon after, Powell was out for 24 off 14 balls with a delivery from Brad Currie.
Hetmyer and Sherfane Rutherford, who made 26 off 13 balls, added 36 runs in just over three overs, but their dismissal came in the space of two balls.
Hetmyer struck six sixes and two fours, while Rutherford belted four fours and one six.
The West Indies then made a promising start with the ball, claiming the early wickets of Michael Jones for one, Brandon McMullen for 14, and Munsey for 19 with a spectacular diving catch by Hetmyer, to restrict Scotland to 38 for three after six overs.
But captain Richie Berrington and Tom Bruce put on 78 runs for the fourth wicket in just eight overs to put Scotland at 115 for three after the 13th over.
Bruce was dropped twice, by Jason Holder when he was five and again by Matthew Forde when he was 25.
Holder redeemed himself by having Berrington caught for 42 off 24 balls, before Shepherd bagged four wickets in the 17th over to confirm the results.
After Gudakesh Motie trapped Bruce lbw for 35 to make the score 122 for five in the 15th over, Shepherd had Matthew Cross and Leask caught in consecutive deliveries and then bowled Davidson to complete the hat-trick, becoming the 10th bowler to achieve the feat at a T20 World Cup.
He closed out the over by having Sharif caught to end with the impressive figures of 5-20 from his three overs, as Scotland slumped to 133 for nine.
Holder then wrapped up the match by dismissing the last man, Mark Watt, to finish with 3-30.
