Manchester, June 14: Scotland triumphed over Ireland by 40 runs in their second match of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 held in Manchester on Saturday. Captain Kathryn Bryce credited the team’s confidence, preparation, and collective effort for this historic victory.
Bryce was named ‘Player of the Match’ for her all-round performance, scoring 60 runs off 39 balls, including 1 six and 6 fours. She formed a crucial partnership of 106 runs for the third wicket with her sister Sarah Bryce, who contributed 49 runs. This partnership came after the team lost two wickets for just 36 runs. Kathryn also excelled with the ball, taking 2 wickets for 19 runs in just 3.1 overs.
Reflecting on the significance of this moment, Kathryn expressed that it still feels surreal to start the campaign in such a remarkable way. “I think there are a lot of emotions flowing at the moment. It was truly fantastic. It was great to see both teams supported by the audience. A big thank you to everyone who came out,” she said after the match.
Batting first, Scotland scored 161 runs while losing 5 wickets. In response, Ireland was bowled out for 121 runs in 19.1 overs.
Discussing Scotland’s comeback after losing early wickets, Kathryn highlighted the importance of smart running between wickets and her sister’s positive approach during the middle overs. “I think it was essential to focus on our strong options and run well. The outfield was quite slow at the start, so we made good runs. Sarah’s aggressive play in the middle overs made things much easier for me at the other end,” she noted.
Kathryn emphasized the growing confidence within the team before the tournament, stating that conditions were more favorable compared to the last World Cup. “Perhaps the temperature helped a bit. When we played our first match, it was 45 degrees. So, it was nice to play in our usual conditions here, and our confidence has significantly increased over the past few weeks. We had a great series in Scotland and played some excellent warm-up matches. We felt much more comfortable going into this match,” she added.
Despite the historic result, Kathryn mentioned that Scotland’s focus will soon shift to upcoming challenges. “I think we have many tough matches ahead, but as you said, we need to approach each match differently and prepare again. If we play well and perform excellently, we will have a chance to win every match,” she concluded.
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