After Scotland’s loss, West Indies exit the Cricket World Cup race
On Saturday’s Super Six action, Scotland comfortably clinched a victory against the West Indies. It marked a significant moment as the West Indies, the champions of the 1975 and 1979 editions of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, will be absent from the global event for the very first time.
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In a remarkable display of skill and prowess at Harare, Scotland showcased their brilliance with both bat and ball, overpowering the West Indies to secure a resounding seven-wicket triumph in their inaugural Super Six clash in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2023. With this commanding victory, it becomes evident that the West Indies can, at most, accumulate a mere four points in the Super Six phase of the tournament.
Regrettably, the outcome signifies that the Men in Maroon are now unable to secure one of the top two positions in the Qualifier, dashing their hopes of earning a spot on the flight to India for the upcoming Cricket World Cup later this year.
For the first time in their cricketing history, the West Indies have failed to qualify for a senior Men’s Cricket World Cup, be it in the One Day International (ODI) format or the Twenty20 International (T20I) format. This significant milestone marks a departure from their previous appearances in the prestigious tournament.
This was also Scotland’s first-ever ODI win over West Indies.
Scotland’s resounding victory was fueled by an exceptional performance from their bowlers, who displayed remarkable skills on the field. Additionally, the batting partnership between Matthew Cross and Brandon McMullen played a pivotal role in Scotland’s success, as they forged an impressive 125-run stand. Their outstanding collaboration ensured a commanding position for Scotland, ultimately leading them to a well-deserved triumph.
In a rather unfortunate start for Scotland, they lost a wicket right from the first delivery of the match. Christopher McBride connected with a low full toss from Holder, but unfortunately, it resulted in a catch at mid-wicket. However, any hopes of the West Indies capitalizing on this early breakthrough were swiftly dashed by the resilient partnership of Matthew Cross and Brandon McMullen.
The duo displayed composure and skill, adding an impressive 40 runs during the powerplay overs, consolidating Scotland’s position and diminishing the chances of further breakthroughs for the opposition.
Despite the disciplined bowling effort by the West Indies, they couldn’t manage to break the formidable partnership between Cross and McMullen. In the 12th over, McMullen offered a chance when he struck one straight to mid-wicket off Akeal Hosein, but Kyle Mayers failed to hold on to the catch. The duo’s partnership ensured that Scotland only required a run rate of 3.52 in the second half of their chase. McMullen also reached his fifty milestones in the 25th over.
Following a steady start, the scoring rate for Scotland accelerated rapidly with both Cross and McMullen going for quick runs. Cross showcased his attacking prowess in the 27th over by smashing a hat-trick of boundaries against Sinclair, propelling himself into the 40s. He then notched up his well-deserved half-century in the 29th over. Despite the setback of McMullen’s dismissal in the 30th over after a valuable contribution of 69 runs, Scotland remained composed and steady in their pursuit of victory.
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During overs 26-35, Scotland continued to build their momentum, adding a significant 56 runs to inch closer to the West Indies target. Matthew Cross, who remained unbeaten at 74, found a reliable partner in Captain Richie Berrington. Together, they steered Scotland towards victory, eventually surpassing the West Indies target in the 44th over. The partnership between Cross and Berrington played a crucial role in sealing the win for Scotland.
During the morning session, Scotland’s opening bowling duo of Chris Sole and Brandon McMullen created havoc for the West Indies lineup in the initial Powerplay. McMullen played a key role in securing the first three dismissals. Johnson Charles attempted to hit over the covers but fell in the process. Shamarh Brooks, with an aggressive approach, edged a delivery to slips with a heavy-handed shot.
Brandon King, on the other hand, offered a straightforward catch back to McMullen, resulting in his dismissal. The combined efforts of Sole and McMullen provided Scotland with crucial breakthroughs early on in the match.
Adding to the West Indian turmoil, Chris Sole delivered a crucial blow by uprooting Kyle Mayers’ off-stump in just the seventh over, leaving the side reeling at a score of 30/4.
Shouldering the responsibility of rebuilding the West Indies innings were Shai Hope and Nicholas Pooran, the top two run-getters for the team in the Qualifier. The West Indies would have hoped for a repeat of their outstanding partnership from the Nepal game, where they contributed 216 runs for the fourth wicket to salvage the innings.
Unfortunately, their efforts could not replicate the same success on this occasion. Shai Hope’s innings were cut short as he was caught behind off the bowling of Safyaan Sharif, ending any hopes of a rescuing act for the West Indies.
After the dismissal of Nicholas Pooran in the 21st over, Scotland assumed complete control of the innings. Pooran, attempting to launch a shot against the slow left-arm orthodox spin of Mark Watt, ended up hitting the ball toward deep mid-wicket. The ball presented a tricky chance for Christopher McBride, who initially struggled to grasp it. However, he eventually managed to secure the catch, adding to Scotland’s dominance in the match.
The much-needed recovery for the West Indies came in the form of former captain Jason Holder and Romario Shepherd. The duo joined forces and constructed a resilient seventh-wicket partnership, amassing a valuable 77 runs. Their composed batting made the task appear effortless, and their efforts guided the West Indies to surpass the 150-run milestone by the 35th over. Cricket World Cup fans can buy India vs South Africa Tickets from our website.
Their partnership played a significant role in stabilizing the innings and providing a fighting total for the team.
The presence of Jason Holder and Romario Shepherd in the middle had raised hopes for the West Indies to achieve a total in the range of 270-280. Unfortunately, their partnership was disrupted in the 37th over when Romario Shepherd was caught brilliantly by Safyaan Sharif at backward point, taking a stunning one-handed catch off the bowling of Mark Watt. Shepherd’s departure at 36 dealt a blow to the West Indies’ aspirations.
In the following over, Jason Holder has dismissed lbw, compounding the setback for the team. Holder’s contribution of 45 runs ended, further diminishing the West Indies’ chances of reaching a higher total.
In the end, the West Indies innings came to a close in the 44th over as they were bowled out. Among the Scotland bowlers, Brandon McMullen stood out with an excellent performance, finishing with figures of 3/32. His bowling display was instrumental in restricting the West Indies and picking up crucial wickets during their innings. McMullen’s contribution played a vital role in Scotland’s success in the match.
Winning the toss, Scotland captain Richie Berrington made the decision to field first. He believed that the pitch would maintain its quality throughout the day, making it challenging to defend on this particular ground. In terms of team news, Safyaan Sharif and George Munsey made their return to the Scotland side, replacing Jack Jarvis and Alasdair Evans. As for the West Indies, Roston Chase and Keemo Paul were omitted from the playing XI, with Kyle Mayers and Kevin Sinclair coming in as their replacements.
Since their triumph in the 2016 T20 World Cup, the West Indies have struggled to make a significant impact in ICC tournaments. Their recent elimination from the 2023 ODI World Cup holds significant historical significance as it marks the first instance in the tournament’s history that the West Indies have failed to qualify. This unfortunate outcome stands as a low point in the history of West Indies cricket, highlighting the challenges they have faced in regaining their previous dominance in international cricket.
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