In a stunning display of fast bowling prowess, Romario Shepherd delivered a match-winning performance for the West Indies cricket team during their Group C encounter against Scotland in the Twenty20 World Cup held in Kolkata on Saturday. The Caribbean speedster achieved the rare feat of claiming four wickets in just five deliveries, including a sensational hat-trick that dismantled Scotland’s lower batting order.
The match began with West Indies setting a competitive target of 183 runs after being put into bat first. Shimron Hetmyer provided the foundation for their innings with a explosive 64 runs off just 36 balls, featuring six massive sixes that energized the Caribbean side’s total of 182-5.
Scotland appeared to be building momentum in their chase, reaching 132-5 after 16 overs, before Shepherd’s extraordinary 17th over completely shifted the game’s dynamics. After conceding a single run with his first delivery, the fast bowler orchestrated a dramatic collapse by removing Matthew Cross (caught at point), Michael Leask (caught near long-on), and Oliver Davidson (clean bowled) with consecutive balls to complete his hat-trick.
The carnage continued as Safyaan Sharif survived the next delivery but fell immediately afterward, offering a simple catch to Jason Holder at mid-off. Shepherd’s remarkable figures of 5-20, complemented by Holder’s 3-30, restricted Scotland to 147 all out in 18.5 overs, securing a 35-run victory for the two-time champions.
Hetmyer, who received the player-of-the-match medal, expressed awe at his teammate’s performance: ‘That was phenomenal. I think he was going to get it to be honest. It’s not often you see a guy get five wickets and a hat-trick.’
The victory strengthens West Indies’ position in Group C while Scotland, who entered the tournament under unusual circumstances after Bangladesh’s withdrawal citing safety concerns, face an uphill battle in their World Cup campaign.