England maintained their unbeaten start to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 with a commanding 38-run victory over Scotland, thanks to a powerful batting display and disciplined bowling performance. Scotland faced a daunting target after England posted their second 200-plus total of the tournament. Sophia Dunkley anchored the innings with 57, surviving three dropped chances, while Freya Kemp and Dani Gibson provided a blistering finish.
WOMEN’S T20 WORLD CUP 2026: FULL COVERAGE
Sophie Ecclestone then reached the milestone of 150 T20I wickets, becoming the second-fastest woman to achieve the feat.
DUNKLEY PUNISHES SCOTLAND
After choosing to bowl first, Scotland’s fielding let them down following an impressive display in their previous match against the West Indies. The side also made two enforced changes, with Ailsa Lister and Rachel Slater unavailable after failing to recover in time.
Scotland made the ideal start when Kirstie Gordon dismissed Amy Jones with the opening delivery, Megan McColl taking a straightforward catch.
Sophia Dunkley, standing in for injured captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, enjoyed several reprieves during her innings. Priyanaz Chatterji first spilled a difficult diving chance when Dunkley had just four runs, allowing the opener to settle into her innings.
Dunkley soon capitalised, striking the first six of the contest before racing to 43 by the end of the powerplay. Danni Wyatt-Hodge fell immediately after the fielding restrictions, handing Gordon another wicket, but Scotland continued to let Dunkley off the hook. Katherine Fraser dropped her on 43 before McColl missed another opportunity when she was on 45.
The opener eventually reached her maiden Women’s T20 World Cup half-century from 33 deliveries before Kathryn Bryce removed her for 57, with Hannah Rainey completing the catch in the deep.
Rainey then struck again by dismissing Alice Capsey for a quickfire 40, reducing England to 110 for four, while Chatterji claimed Heather Knight for 25. Gordon’s figures, however, were spoiled after conceding 21 runs in her final over.
England finished strongly through an explosive unbroken sixth-wicket partnership. Dani Gibson smashed 30 not out and Freya Kemp added an unbeaten 39 as the pair combined for 61 runs from just 21 balls to lift England to 200 for five.
ECCELSTONE REACHES LANDMARK
Scotland responded positively with an aggressive start to their chase. Katherine Fraser benefited from an early dropped catch but helped her side reach 32 without loss inside three overs.
Her attacking approach eventually proved costly as Charlie Dean bowled her for 23 from 13 balls. Scotland edged ahead of England’s powerplay score by a single run, but Ecclestone quickly swung the momentum by dismissing Kathryn Bryce for six to claim her 150th T20I wicket.
Ecclestone struck again soon after, removing Darcey Carter for 29 as Scotland slipped further behind the required rate.
England continued to chip away at the wickets, with Gibson dismissing Megan McColl after Kemp took the catch, before Linsey Smith removed Sarah Bryce for 34 thanks to another safe catch from Gibson near the boundary. Kemp then produced a sharp return catch to send back Chatterji, leaving Scotland struggling at 155 for six.
Pippa Sproul and Gordon offered late resistance with a 47-run partnership for the seventh wicket. Gordon finished with 23, while Sproul made 27 before being run out from the final delivery of the innings, as Scotland closed well short of the target.
– Ends
