West Indies Women edged past Scotland Women by seven runs in the 12th match of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 in Leeds. After being invited to bat first, West Indies Women posted 153/6 in their 20 overs, thanks to a blazing unbeaten knock from Stafanie Taylor.

West Indies struggled against the disciplined bowling attack of Scotland Women and lost wickets at regular intervals. At 85/5 after 14.3 overs, they were in trouble. However, Stafanie Taylor shifted gears and revived the innings. She added a quickfire 37-run partnership for the sixth wicket with Jahzara Claxton before putting on an unbeaten 31-run stand for the seventh wicket with Jannillea Glasgow. Taylor smashed an unbeaten 47 off just 19 balls to propel West Indies to a competitive total.

Katherine Fraser (2/34 in four overs) was the most successful bowler for Scotland Women, while Kathryn Bryce, Rachel Slater and Kirstie Gordon claimed one wicket each.

In reply, Darcey Carter and Katherine Fraser gave Scotland Women a flying start, adding 51 runs for the opening wicket in just 5.1 overs before Hayley Matthews (3/19 in four overs) dismissed Fraser in the sixth over. Matthews and Afy Fletcher (2/16 in four overs) then helped West Indies fight back and regain control of the match.

Scotland soon slipped to 74/5 in 10.4 overs. Carter played a determined innings of 59 runs from 62 balls and remained at the crease until the 19th over, but her efforts were not enough to take her side over the line as Scotland Women fell seven runs short of the target.

Aaliyah Alleyne (3/11 in two overs) was the most successful bowler for West Indies Women. With this victory, West Indies Women earned two crucial points and moved up to second place in Group B.

Taylor Rescues West Indies After Top-Order Struggles

West Indies found themselves in serious trouble after a disciplined Scotland bowling performance left them struggling at 85 for 5 in the 15th over. The innings lacked momentum for long periods, but Taylor changed the course of the match with an explosive unbeaten 47 from just 19 balls. Her innings featured a series of boundaries and powerful sixes as she scored at a remarkable strike rate of 247.36.

With wickets falling around her, Taylor took control in the closing overs. Alongside Jahzara Claxton, she launched a late assault that transformed West Indies' total.

Claxton hit the team's first six of the innings in the 17th over before being dismissed shortly afterward. Taylor then took over completely, striking boundaries through the covers and down the ground before smashing three towering sixes, including an 83-metre hit over deep midwicket. Her late fireworks helped West Indies collect 69 runs in the final six overs and post a challenging target after looking set for a below-par total.

Scotland Shine in the Field

Scotland's bowlers and fielders had controlled much of the game before Taylor's counterattack. From the start, they kept West Indies under pressure with accurate bowling and energetic fielding. Openers Hayley Matthews and Qiana Joseph struggled to score freely as Scotland restricted them to just 13 runs in the first three overs.

Rachel Slater bowled tightly, while Gabriella Fontenla generated useful swing. One of the highlights of the innings came when Katherine Fraser produced a stunning boundary catch to dismiss Joseph. Fraser leapt near the rope, grabbed the ball in mid-air, and showed excellent awareness to avoid touching the boundary as she landed.

The dismissal reflected Scotland's intensity throughout the innings. Matthews never looked comfortable and managed only 14 runs before Fraser bowled her with a quicker delivery that crashed into middle stump.

Fraser Leads Scotland's Fight

Fraser delivered an outstanding all-round performance. Besides claiming two wickets, she also played a major role in the field. After helping remove Joseph with a spectacular catch, she later produced a sharp run-out to dismiss Shemaine Campbelle, who had starred in West Indies' previous win over New Zealand.

Campbelle briefly threatened to rebuild the innings, but Fraser's direct-hit run-out ended her stay at the crease. Soon after, Chinelle Henry was trapped lbw as Scotland tightened their grip on the match.

At that stage, West Indies were in danger of collapsing before Taylor's late heroics changed the picture.

Carter Leads Scotland's Chase

Scotland responded strongly during the chase and immediately put West Indies under pressure. Darcey Carter attacked from the beginning, hitting four boundaries inside the first three overs. Fraser also contributed valuable runs as Scotland raced ahead of the required rate.

Carter's innings became even more impressive when she suffered a leg injury while facing Matthews. Despite obvious discomfort, she continued batting and kept finding boundaries.

She was also handed a lifeline when Qiana Joseph dropped a straightforward catch while Carter was on 19. Running between the wickets became increasingly difficult, but the young opener refused to back down. She eventually reached her ninth T20 International half-century from 53 balls and kept Scotland firmly in the contest.

Matthews Sparks Collapse

Scotland looked in complete control at 51 without loss after five overs before Matthews produced the breakthrough West Indies desperately needed. The captain dismissed Fraser with a quicker delivery that stayed low and beat her attempted sweep shot.

That wicket triggered a dramatic collapse. Scotland lost four wickets for just seven runs in two overs as Matthews took command. Kathryn Bryce fell for a second-ball duck after miscuing a shot to mid-off, while Matthews later trapped Megan McColl lbw as Scotland's chase suddenly lost momentum. Matthews finished with outstanding figures of 3 for 19 from four overs, including 13 dot balls that increased pressure on the Scottish batters.

Tension Builds in Final Overs

Despite the collapse, Carter and Ailsa Lister rebuilt the innings with a determined partnership. West Indies began showing signs of nervousness in the field. Several mistakes crept into their performance as Scotland edged closer to the target.

Adding to the drama, Deandra Dottin endured a difficult 18th over. Playing her 150th T20 International, she bowled three consecutive wides and appeared overwhelmed by the pressure.

After Carter struck two boundaries in three deliveries, Dottin broke down in tears. Her teammates quickly gathered around her for support, and she recovered well enough to concede only one additional run in the over.

Alleyne Delivers the Decisive Blow

With Scotland needing 22 runs from the final two overs, the match remained evenly balanced. However, Alleyne produced the decisive moment. She dismissed Carter with a return catch after the batter top-edged a shot back to the bowler. The wicket ended a courageous innings that had nearly carried Scotland to victory.

Alleyne then struck twice more in consecutive deliveries, removing Lister and Kirstie Gordon to halt Scotland's charge. Although West Indies continued to struggle in the field, they eventually crossed the finish line. Joseph chipped in late by dismissing Slater and Fontenla within three deliveries to seal the result.