Sharp and Halliday keep New Zealand's chances of making the semi-final alive by blunting Scotland

Scotland 131 for 7 (Carter 72*, S Bryce 25, M Kerr 3-17, Devine 2-19) was defeated by New Zealand 132 for 4 (Sharp 62, Halliday 41*, K Bryce 2-13, Slater 2-22) by six wickets.

At the Women's T20 World Cup 2026, New Zealand defeated Scotland after surviving a scare in the field and at the crease. They held Scotland to a manageable 131 for 7 after putting them in to bat and giving up 51 runs in the first seven overs. Considering the net run-rate, they would have preferred to finish off the total as soon as possible.

Izzy Sharp and Brooke Halliday contributed 101 for the fourth wicket

Scotland, however, had different thoughts. They may sniff their second victory of the season after taking three New Zealand wickets during the powerplay. However, the experience of New Zealand was evident. New Zealand completed the goal in the 19th over with Izzy Sharp's career-high 62 and Brooke Halliday's fourth-wicket stand of 101. Scotland was thus eliminated from consideration for the semifinals.

They will continue to compete for a semi-final position as a result of their net run rate moving into positive territory. However, New Zealand must defeat England this weekend and hope for other favourable outcomes.

In addition to their victory, New Zealand celebrated Lea Tahuhu's 100th T20I wicket on her tournament debut. Scotland might celebrate its own achievement. Despite having played one more innings, Darcey Carter has surpassed Smriti Mandhana as the tournament's top run scorer with her second half-century.

Two additional catches are dropped by NZ

New Zealand's campaign got off to a rough start, but they've shown that it's pointless to dwell on the past. However, the quantity of missed opportunities will cause considerable annoyance. After putting Scotland into bat and creating an early opportunity, they put one down after dropping 10 catches in their first three games. One of the tournament's most impressive seamers, Bree Illing, got an inside edge off Katherine Fraser, who had not yet scored. However, New Zealand wicketkeeper Isabella Gaze missed a straightforward opportunity.

Fraser was eventually caught at extra cover for seven after failing to establish consistency throughout her innings. As a result, the harm was little on an individual basis but expensive for the partnership. Carter contributed 41 of the 51 runs that Scotland's opening partnership scored in seven overs.

Following Fraser's dismissal, Scotland was pulled back by New Zealand. In nine overs, they were 58 for 2 as Kathryn Bryce was caught at deep-backward square leg off a googly from Melie Kerr. However, the fielding virus quickly reappeared. Nensi Patel was unable to cling onto a normal opportunity, but Carter, who had been denied a strike through the middle overs, cut Melie to backward point when on 47.

Devine pulls it back, Spinners

Carter slowed down from 35 off 18 balls to 54 in 39 as New Zealand starved her of the strike. However, with Sarah Bryce leading the way with 25 off 21 deliveries, New Zealand called for Sophie Devine's intervention in the 15th over. She responded to the call right away and played all around a straight ball, pinning Sarah on the pad with her first ball.

After four balls, Devine was sent directly to Melie at long-on by Ailsa Lister, giving her a second wicket and giving New Zealand a chance to rejoin the match. Nensi bowled Megan McColl in the following over, and then Devine and the offspinner applied the squeeze.

Before Melie came on to bowl the penultimate over, Scotland had only managed to score 25 runs in the four overs they bowled in tandem. Priyanaz Chatterji made four unsuccessful attempts to sweep her before being out lbw on the fourth try. Then, Pippa Sproul chipped Melie to Jess Kerr at mid-off, leaving Scotland at 121 for 7. This was a Kerr double act. Melie and Nensi captured four wickets while bowling eight overs for forty-two runs. Scotland finished undefeated at 72 as Carter helped them score ten runs off the final over.

Scotland dominates New Zealand's top tier

Only three runs were scored in the first over bowled by Kirstie Gordon, frustrating New Zealand early on as they focused on improving their net run rate and getting rid of the total as soon as they could. However, Scotland, who were only defending 131, got off to a great start when they eliminated Devine, Gaze, and Melie, who had elevated herself to open the batting, during the powerplay.

In her opening two overs, Kathyn Bryce scored twice: once when Melie chipped her to mid-on and again when Gaze attempted to clear mid-on but was only able to locate the fielder. Then, Rachel Slater delivered a stunning ball that sneaked through the space between bat and pad and tucked back into Devine. A huge upset was imminent as New Zealand were 26 for 3 in the sixth over.

NZ stay Sharp to take two points

Sharp, the leading scorer for New Zealand versus Ireland, demonstrated her willingness to keep New Zealand in the game by hitting two boundaries straight down after the early carnage. She appeared increasingly at ease on a surface that most batters required time to get used to, sending Gordon over midwicket and Carter off her pads over short fine leg.

Halliday, a left-hand hitter, was Sharp's companion, and the two worked well together, just as they did against Ireland. Following the second drinks break of the innings, they gained momentum when Halliday struck Hannah Rainey for consecutive boundaries in the fifteenth over. When Sharp hit Gordon's leg side for her seventh four off the 38th ball, she reached fifty. New Zealand needed 13 off 18 balls before the end of that over, and for the first time, the demand was less than a run per ball.