Shimron Hetmyer breaks West Indies record with half-century vs Scotland in T20 World Cup 2026

Kolkata:

Shimron Hetmyer put on a breathtaking show in West Indies’ opening match of the T20 World Cup 2026 against Scotland at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata. After a sluggish start that saw the Caribbeans manage only 33 runs in the powerplay, the innings sprang to life following Shai Hope’s dismissal for 19 off 22 balls, with Hetmyer promoted to No. 3.

Taking time to assess the conditions, Hetmyer then unleashed his trademark power, racing to a stunning half-century off just 22 balls. The Scottish bowlers had no answers as he went on a six-hitting spree, clearing the ropes six times and striking just one four on his way to the milestone.

In the process, Hetmyer eclipsed Chris Gayle’s long-standing record for the fastest T20 World Cup fifty by a West Indies batter. Gayle had reached the mark in 23 balls against Australia in the 2009 edition, a feat Hetmyer bettered by a single delivery. 

West Indies fail to finish well

Soon after completing his half-century, Hetmyer struggled in the middle as his innings ended on 64 runs off 36 balls. Rovman Powell added 24 runs off 14, while Sherfane Rutherford added 26 off 13 balls. They failed to convert their cameos as West Indies posted 182 runs on the board in the first innings. They would have liked to add 10 or 15 runs more, particularly when the surface looked like a good one for the batters. However, this could be enough for them to get the job done against Scotland. 

Teams:

Scotland (Playing XI): George Munsey, Matthew Cross (wk), Brandon McMullen, Michael Jones, Tom Bruce, Richie Berrington (c), Michael Leask, Oliver Davidson, Mark Watt, Brad Currie, Safyaan Sharif

West Indies (Playing XI): Brandon King, Shai Hope (wk/c), Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Jason Holder, Romario Shepherd, Akeal Hosein, Matthew Forde, Gudakesh Motie, Shamar Joseph

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