KOLKATA, India — West Indies pace bowler Romario Shepherd delivered a spectacular performance on Saturday, securing the first hat-trick of the 2026 T20 World Cup to dismantle Scotland’s lower order and seal a 35-run victory in their Group C opener at Eden Gardens.
Shepherd’s extraordinary feat came during the 17th over, where he claimed four wickets in just five deliveries, single-handedly crushing Scotland’s pursuit of a 183-run target. His devastating spell concluded with remarkable figures of 5-20 from three overs, effectively ending Scotland’s resistance at 147 all out in 18.5 overs.
The foundation for the West Indies’ triumph was laid earlier by Shimron Hetmyer, whose explosive 36-ball 64 featured six sixes and propelled the Caribbean side to 182-5. Hetmyer’s blistering half-century off just 22 balls earned him the Player of the Match honors.
Scotland, who received a late tournament entry two weeks ago replacing Bangladesh, appeared poised for an upset victory at 114-3 after 13 overs. Captain Richie Berrington (42) and Tom Bruce (35) had built a threatening 78-run partnership that placed the game in the balance. However, the intervention of Jason Holder (3-30) followed by Shepherd’s decisive bowling display abruptly halted their progress.
West Indies captain Shai Hope praised Shepherd’s commitment, stating: “Sheppie is one of those guys who is willing to learn and improve. He’s always prepared to contribute whether with bat or ball. His versatility in the middle overs is invaluable, and it’s fantastic to see him begin the tournament with such impact.”
Despite the defeat, Berrington remained optimistic: “It’s been valuable to experience these conditions. We can extract many positives from today’s performance and carry them forward into our next match against Italy here on Monday.”
The Scottish bowling effort featured disciplined spells from left-arm pacer Brad Currie (2-23) and debutant Oliver Davidson, who claimed his maiden T20 wicket. However, Hetmyer’s aggressive batting ultimately proved decisive in setting up a challenging total that Scotland couldn’t overcome despite their determined effort.