England's Maia Bouchier and Danni Wyatt-Hodge rejoiced following their 10-wicket triumph over Scotland in the Women's Cricket T20 World Cup match held at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Sunday. — Reuters
Openers Maia Bouchier and Danni Wyatt-Hodge orchestrated an unbroken century partnership, propelling England to a commanding 10-wicket victory against debutants Scotland in the Women's T20 World Cup on Sunday. England's disciplined bowling attack, spearheaded by left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone's figures of 2-13, restricted Scotland to 109-6 in their 20 overs in Sharjah. England sealed the win with 10 overs to spare, as Bouchier's 62 off 34 deliveries earned her the player of the match accolade and brought her team closer to a semi-final berth. A third consecutive win elevated England to the top of Group B, ahead of South Africa and the West Indies.
England is set to face the West Indies on Tuesday in Dubai to determine the two semi-finalists from the group. Captain Heather Knight emphasized the importance of maintaining momentum: 'Just try and win, exactly the same way we have approached (the tournament so far). You want to keep winning, keep that momentum and we want to go again, get some momentum and make it to the semis.' Scotland, having qualified for the tournament for the first time, ended winless and joined Bangladesh in bowing out of the 10-team competition.
Scotland's skipper Kathryn Bryce reflected on the experience: 'Pretty tough tournament in general but a massive honour to be here and to be leading the team out in a tournament like this. Only learnings to be taken from here.' Bouchier set the tone for England's chase with three successive fours, reaching her fifty in 30 balls with another boundary off Katherine Fraser. Wyatt-Hodge's 51 off 26 balls showcased a commanding performance by the 2009 champions.
Scotland made a promising start to their innings, with Sarah Bryce guiding the team to 38-0 in the eighth over before medium-pace bowler Nat Sciver-Brunt intervened. Sciver-Brunt dismissed opener Saskia Horley for 13, and Ecclestone soon had Sarah Bryce stumped for 27, slowing Scotland's progress. Kathryn Bryce, Sarah's elder sister, attempted to rally the team with her 28-ball 33, but her departure saw Scotland's momentum wane as wickets fell regularly. Lorna Jack-Brown, in her final international match, was bowled for a duck by Lauren Bell, leaving the field with tears in her eyes.
