England Return to the Top of Group B

England made it three wins from three at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 after they beat Scotland by 10 wickets in Sharjah.

Set a target of 110 to win, England needed just 10 overs to chase it down, and they sit top of Group B ahead of a final clash with the West Indies.

Three teams are still battling for the two semi-final spots, with South Africa and the Windies the other two.

Scotland showed caution with the bat on their way to 109 for six, the Bryce sisters producing the pick of the innings while Sophie Ecclestone stood out with the ball.

In reply, Maia Bouchier (62) and Danni Wyatt-Hodge (51) wasted no time and hammered an unbeaten 113-run partnership for an emphatic win.

Having been put into bat, Scotland started steadily, with Saskia Horley and Sarah Bryce navigating the powerplay as the Scots reached 29 for none after six overs.

They were struggling to find boundaries however, and the first wicket came as Horley tried to lift the run-rate, failing to connect as she looked to go over mid-off and instead finding Sophie Ecclestone off the bowling of Nat Sciver-Brunt, departing for 13 after an opening stand of 38.

That brought the Bryce sisters together as Kathryn joined Sarah in the middle, with the pair bringing up the 50 before Sarah Bryce was stumped by Amy Jones off Ecclestone for 27.

Ailsa Lister came and made some history when she smashed a six over midwicket – Scotland’s first-ever six at an ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.

She fell to Danielle Gibson for 11, caught by Heather Knight, with Lorna Jack-Brown coming to the crease in her final T20 international. She was clean bowled by Lauren Bell for a duck before Charlie Dean bowled Kathryn Bryce for 33, leaving Scotland 89 for five with three overs remaining.

Ecclestone picked up her second wicket off her final delivery, dismissing Darcey Carter to finish with figures of two for 13 from four overs.

Katherine Fraser then had a slice of luck in the penultimate over, as Sciver-Brunt hit the stumps but the bails stayed on, Scotland getting four byes for good measure on their way to 109.

Maia Bouchier showed her intent from the off in the chase, hitting the first three deliveries to the boundary.

Olivia Bell had the chance to end the opening stand, but put down a return catch off Bouchier, who made Scotland pay.

Alongside Danni Wyatt-Hodge, England raced to 50 without loss, three boundaries in four balls in the fifth over bringing up the half-century. Wyatt-Hodge got in on the act as well, going after Bell and then Kathryn Bryce as England motored along to 66 for none at the end of the powerplay – the best of any team in the tournament so far.

Bouchier brought up her half-century off 30 balls, hammering another four behind square off the final ball of the eighth over.

Wyatt-Hodge joined her in scoring 50, getting there off just 26 balls before Bouchier sealed the win with a fitting final four to make the highest individual score of the tournament so far.

Scores in brief

England vs Scotland, Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

Scotland 109/6 in 20 overs (Kathryn Bryce 33, Sarah Bryce 27; Sophie Ecclestone 2/13, Danielle Gibson 1/5, Lauren Bell 1/16)

England 113/0 in 10 overs (Maia Bouchier 62 not out, Danni Wyatt-Hodge 51 not out; Abtaha Maqsood 0/11, Darcey Carter 0/11)

Result: England won by 10 wickets