At Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Scotland won the toss and chose to bowl first in their T20 World Cup 2026 match against the West Indies. This decision put the Windies in to bat, with Brandon King and Shai Hope opening the innings.

After a cautious start, the West Indies reached 33/0 at the end of the powerplay, with both King and Hope looking watchful. Scotland's bowlers maintained tight lines, effectively cutting off boundaries and keeping the run rate under six. Several well-struck shots went straight to fielders, hindering the flow of runs.

The sixth over yielded just two runs, leaving the West Indies at 33 without loss, with King on 16 off 20 balls and Hope on 16 off 16. West Indies coach, Sammy, was seen in discussion with the opening pair, possibly suggesting a need to increase the tempo. King then opened up in the 7th over hitting a six and a four.

In the ninth over, Scotland's Michael Leask made the breakthrough, dismissing Shai Hope for 19 off 22 balls. Hope missed a flick, and the ball deflected off his pads to hit the stumps. Following Hope's dismissal, Shimron Hetmyer came to the crease. Hetmyer survived a scare when a top-edge fell safely, and the batsmen then focused on rotating the strike with singles.

After 9 overs, the West Indies were 57/1, with King on 35 off 29 balls and Hetmyer on 1 off 3 balls. Leask had figures.

Going into the match, both teams had reasons for optimism. Scotland, despite a rushed preparation and losses in their warm-up games against Afghanistan and Namibia, are known for causing upsets. In 2022, Scotland defeated the West Indies by 42 runs in Hobart. The West Indies, though missing the retired Nicholas Pooran, possess a strong batting lineup. However, concerns remain about their bowling attack. Brandon McMullen is a key player for Scotland, capable of explosive hitting, as demonstrated by his performances in past matches.