Ireland rise to the top of Group B of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier, Scotland maintain the momentum.

Two more matches were decided in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier in Abu Dhabi on Monday afternoon.

Ireland made a statement when they beat Zimbabwe by a total of 56 runs to move top of Group B at the Zayed Cricket Stadium, while Scotland put their disappointing 10-wicket defeat to Sri Lanka on Saturday behind them by overcoming the United States of America (USA) by 44 runs at the adjacent Tolerance Oval.

Ireland’s opening pair Amy Hunter (71) and Gaby Lewis (69) shone for their team with a brilliant opening stand of 130 runs, while Scotland captain Kathryn Bryce produced a memorable performance, returning unbeaten for 57 with the bat and taking four for 17 with the ball leading his team to a comfortable victory in the Group A clash.

Ireland vs Zimbabwe

Scorekeeper

Amy Hunter and Gaby Lewis shined with a 130-run opening partnership to help Ireland record their fifth-highest total in women’s T20Is. Hunter started the innings strongly, taking a hat-trick of four off the first three deliveries from Josephine Nkomo, who came into the game fresh from a four-wicket haul.

With Lewis joining, Ireland had great success, racing to 59/0 inside the Powerplay. Lewis was the first to make a half-century, reaching the mark off 36 balls. Hunter soon joined her and took 34 balls to her fifty. It was Kelis Ndhlovu who finally ended the opening partnership when he trapped Lewis for a brilliant 69 off 47 balls.

Nkomo returned Hunter for 71 in the 17th over.^th finished, but the damage was done, by then Ireland had already crossed the 150-run mark and eventually finished on 176/3 in their 20 overs.

In Zimbabwe’s response, Ava Canning scored two goals in the Powerplay, bringing back Sharne Mayers and Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano cheaply to give Ireland even more control of the game.

Skipper, Mary-Anne Musonda and Modester Mupachikwa combined to get Zimbabwe out of trouble and at the end of 10 overs the team moved to 65/2. Laura Delany broke the stand with the wicket of Mupachikwa (27), but Musonda (48) held on as long as she could, finishing just short of her own half-century.

Zimbabwe lost their next four wickets in the space of 22 balls and eventually finished on 120/8. They have one win in three matches and will need a big win in their final match to have a chance of reaching the semi-finals.

Meanwhile, with two wins from two matches, Ireland are top of Group B and favorites to reach the semi-finals now.

Scotland vs United States

Scorekeeper

Scotland captain Kathryn Bryce led from the front to help them to a 44-run victory over the United States and make it two wins from three matches.

Asked to bat first, Scotland were met with jitters at first as they lost their openers Saskia Horley and Megan McColl inside the Powerplay, but it was the fourth-wicket partnership between Bryce and Ailsa Lister that steadied the ship for the team. The duo added 66 runs off just 39 deliveries to return the momentum in Scotland’s favour.

Lister’s knock of 34 (22) came to an end when she decided to leave the court against Aditiba Chudasama, only to be stumped by wicketkeeper Sindhu Sriharsha.

ICC Associate Player of the Decade Bryce kept the innings together from her final over, achieving her ninth T20I fifty in 42 balls.

Her unbeaten knock of 57* along with Lorna Jack’s cameo of 20 (17) took Scotland to 149/6 in their 20 overs.

In the bowling department too, it was Bryce who made headlines. Opening the bowling, he picked up a wicket off his first delivery, dismissing Gargi Bhogle without scoring.

He returned with his lethal swingers in his second over and grabbed two more wickets – first by rattling the stumps of Disha Dhingra and then trapping Sriharsha in front. Both batsmen left for the ducks.

The United States could only manage 26 runs for the loss of four wickets at the end of the Powerplay.

Leg-spinner Abtaha Maqsood came into the attack to dismantle the middle order.

Maqsood dismissed Jessica Willathgamuwa (10) and Geetika Kodali (3) to reduce the United States to 50/7.

Isani Vaghela and Jivana Aras combined to stem the flow of wickets and added 39 runs off 45 deliveries. Vaghela played a crucial hand of 30 off 26 balls before Chloe Abel dismissed her, while Aras remained unbeaten on 24.

The USA could only manage 105/8 in their 20 overs, falling short by 44 runs as they recorded their second consecutive defeat in the Qualifier.

Along with an unbeaten fifty, Bryce finished with career-best T20I bowling figures of 4/17 to win the Player of the Match award.

Scores in summary:

Match 9:

Scotland beat the United States by 44 runs

Scotland 149 for 6, 20 overs (Kathryn Bryce 57 not out, Ailsa Lister 34; Isani Vaghela 2-17, Aditiba Chudasama 2-25)

USA 105 for 8, 20 overs (Isani Vaghela 30, Jivana Aras 24 not out; Kathryn Bryce 4-17, Abtaha Maqsood 2-16)

Player of the match: Kathryn Bryce

Match 10:

Ireland beat Zimbabwe by 56 runs

Ireland 176 for 3, 20 overs (Amy Hunter 71, Gaby Lewis 69; Kelis Ndhlovu 1-32, Josephine Nkomo 1-36)

Zimbabwe 120 for 8, 20 overs (Mary-Anne Musonda 48, Modester Mupachikwa 27; Ava Canning 2-13, Laura Delany 2-19, Cara Murray 2-29)

Player of the match: Amy Hunter