Former England spinner Kirstie Gordon took three wickets in an over in her long-awaited Scotland return
Scotland have claimed their first-ever ICC Women’s T20 World Cup win, thrashing rivals Ireland by 40 runs at Old Trafford.
Sisters Kathryn (60 off 39) and Sarah Bryce (49 off 35) shared in a game-changing 106-run partnership to steer Scotland to 5-161, before a triple-wicket over from former England spinner Kirstie Gordon (3-16) saw Ireland bowled out for 121.
It marked Scotland’s first win at the women’s 20-over event, having gone winless on tournament debut in the United Arab Emirates in 2024.
The Bryce sisters came together with Scotland in a precarious position at 2-36, after Katherine Fraser (15) and Darcey Carter (14) departed inside the Powerplay.
With boundaries hard to come by on a slow outfield, the siblings’ superb running between the wickets kept the run rate ticking over.
They accelerated from the 11th over, with Kathryn bringing up her fifty in the 15th over, off 32 balls, to give Scotland their first half-century at a Women’s T20 World Cup.
Sarah fell just short of joining her sister in raising her bat, edging behind off the bowling of Amy Hunter to depart for 49 in the 17th over.
Ireland stemmed the flow of runs with two further late wickets, but could not take momentum into their reply.
Kathryn Bryce remained in the thick of the action with the ball, taking a brilliant catch off her own bowling to dismiss Alana Dalzell (6) in the opening over.
Hunter (39 from 36) fought valiantly, but the run rate rapidly rose as Ireland reached 2-58 at the 10-over mark.
Hunter become the third wicket to fall as Fraser (3-19) claimed a second, before spinner Gordon put the outcome beyond doubt, removing Rebecca Stokell, Leah Paul and Alice Tector in the space of four deliveries to reduce Ireland to 6-70.
It marked a brilliant return to Scottish colours for Gordon, who represented England at the 2018 T20 World Cup and who was playing her first match for Scotland in eight years.
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026
Australia squad: Sophie Molineux (c), Ashleigh Gardner (vc), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Nicola Carey, Kim Garth, Lucy Hamilton, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham. Travelling reserve: Tahlia Wilson
Australia’s Group 1 fixtures
June 13: v South Africa, Old Trafford, Manchester, 11:30pm AEST
June 17: v Bangladesh, Headingley, Leeds, 7:30pm AEST
June 20: v Netherlands, Rose Bowl, Hampshire, 7:30pm AEST
June 24: v Pakistan, Headingley, Leeds, 3:30am AEST
June 28: v India, Lord’s, London, 11:30pm AEST
Semi-final 1: The Oval, London, June 30, 11:30pm AEST
Semi-final 2: The Oval, London, July 2 (3:30am July 3 AEST)
Final: Lord’s, London, July 5, 11:30pm AEST
Click here for the full tournament schedule
All matches will be broadcast on Amazon’s Prime Video
