Manchester, June 13: In their opening match of the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup, Ireland faced a 41-run defeat against Scotland. Following the loss, Ireland’s captain, Laura Delany, urged her team to come together rather than dwell on disappointment.
After the match, Delany remarked, “I believe we started well, but we lost our grip in the middle. Scotland played exceptionally.”
She highlighted the last four overs of Scotland’s innings as a positive for her team. “It’s hard to say, but we finished strong with the ball during the mid-innings. We conceded only 19 runs and took 3 wickets in the final four overs, which is impressive. We had the momentum early on. I think if our power-play had been better, the outcome might have been different. We will aim to improve in our next match.”
Delany added, “This is a long tournament. We still have four more matches to play. There are teams we believe we can truly compete against and defeat. All I can say is that we need to stay resilient and come together again.”
In terms of the match, Ireland was set a target of 162 runs for victory. However, they were bowled out for 120 runs in 19.1 overs, losing by 41 runs. Wicketkeeper Amy Hunter was the top scorer for Ireland, making 39 runs off 36 balls, while Orla Prendergast contributed 33 runs.
Scotland, batting first after winning the toss, scored 161 runs for the loss of 5 wickets. The Bryce sisters played a crucial role in their innings. Captain Kathryn Bryce scored 60 runs off 39 balls, hitting 1 six and 6 fours, while wicketkeeper batter Sarah Bryce added 49 runs off 35 balls, including 4 fours and 1 six. The pair formed a vital partnership of 106 runs for the third wicket. Additionally, openers Darcy Carter and Kathryn Fraser contributed 14 and 15 runs, respectively.
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