Stellar performances by lower ranked teams at Women’s T20 World Cup

LONDON: The words of the West Indies coach, Shane Deitz, resounded during the matches that followed his team’s victory over New Zealand in the 11th match of the 2026 T20 Women’s World Cup.

Deitz felt that the gap is gradually closing between the top teams and the rest. This opinion was supported in subsequent press interviews with players and coaches, especially in terms of any team in this tournament being capable of beating any other team on its day.

In the West Indies’ very next match against Scotland, they were on the brink of being beaten by a team ranked five places below them. Struggling in the 15th over on 85 for 5, the team was rescued by Stafanie Taylor, now aged 35. She made her West Indies debut in 2008, going on to open the batting and be captain in a distinguished career of almost 300 international appearances. Recently, she has been slowed by injury but, rolling back the years, she smote 47 from 19 deliveries, including three sixes, to raise a total of 153 for six.

Scotland’s chase started strongly, reaching 51 in the first five overs. Hayley Matthews then struck twice in the sixth over of the chase and again in the eighth to stop the Scottish innings in its tracks at 58 for four.  Darcey Carter led a fightback to push the score to 132 after 18 overs, leaving 22 runs to be scored from 12 deliveries. Scotland’s hopes were all but crushed in the next over. Aaliyah Alleyne claimed Carter’s wicket and then two more, which meant that 17 runs were required from the final over, with only two wickets remaining.

This proved to be too much, the innings closing on 148 all out. The greater experience of the West Indies proved decisive at critical moments.

New Zealand’s team arrived in Southampton having lost its