At 11:19 PM on Saturday night, Scotland seemed poised to top Group B in the T20 World Cup. With Australia needing to score at a daunting rate of 13.30 runs per over for the final 39 balls of their innings, and seemingly little motivation to chase such a high target, Scotland's hopes were high. However, by the early hours of Sunday, those hopes were dashed, and the team was preparing for their flight home later that day.
The nature of associate cricket often toughens teams to handle high-stakes situations, but Scotland's elimination from the T20 World Cup 2024 was particularly brutal. They were in a strong position to defend a DLS-adjusted score of 108 against England in a rain-affected match in Barbados and had shown clinical precision in victories over Namibia and Oman. Notably, among the teams exiting at this stage, Scotland is the only one to have lost just a single match.
Saturday in St. Lucia was unusual for Scotland. As locals recovered from the island's weekly Friday-night street festivities in Gros Islet, the Scottish players attempted to catch afternoon naps to prepare for their first 8:30 PM start of the tournament. The unexpected rain in Antigua, which delayed England's match against Namibia by three hours, served as a significant distraction. With a no-result looming due to the weather, shared points would have secured Scotland’s advancement to the Super Eight, allowing them to celebrate alongside Australia at the expense of their mutual rival, England. Cricket Scotland humorously tweeted photos of sunny Reduit Beach with the caption, "What a beautiful day for a game of cricket in St Lucia!"
However, once the rain subsided enough for England to complete a shortened 10-over match and secure their victory, Scotland faced the daunting task of defeating Australia for the first time in history to qualify. This challenge was as monumental as the Piton mountains in the south-west of the island, given Australia's unbeaten record against associate teams since 1983.
Michael Jones’ early dismissal, bowled by Ashton Agar via his pad, suggested a routine win for Australia, but Scotland fought back valiantly. George Munsey and Brandon McMullen shared an impressive 89-run partnership in just 48 balls for the second wicket. Munsey showcased his inventive batting, while McMullen took on each of the five bowlers, including hitting Adam Zampa for two sixes. Despite their efforts, Australia managed to claw back and restrict Scotland to a total of 180 and then began their chase slowly. Their powerplay score of 36 for 2 was their lowest since the last World Cup, and it could have been even lower had Jones held onto a tough chance from Travis Head.
Scotland’s bowlers continued to apply pressure, with ESPNcricinfo’s win predictor giving them an 85% chance of victory after 13 overs of Australia’s chase. However, a reverse-swept six by Marcus Stoinis shifted the momentum, reducing the required 87 runs off 39 balls to just 41 off 27.
Even with the wickets of Head, who was caught at long-off attempting a fourth consecutive six, and Stoinis, who bowled while reverse-sweeping, Scotland couldn’t regain control. Tim David sealed Australia’s win with a straight six, sparking relief among the England squad in their Antigua hotel.
Scotland's captain, Richie Berrington, expressed pride in his team’s performance, acknowledging that while they were disappointed, the experience had been valuable. He noted that their goal was to progress to the next stage, and despite falling short, they had played commendably throughout the tournament.
Reflecting on the situation, Berrington highlighted that Scotland’s players could hold their heads high. Mitchell Starc, commenting on Scotland’s performance, remarked that it would have been interesting to see how they fared had their match against England been completed. He praised Scotland for pushing Australia hard and playing good cricket throughout the tournament.
Had Scotland qualified for the Super Eight at England's expense, they would have extended their stay in St. Lucia by another five days. Instead, they found themselves thanking their travelling supporters in the Gros Islet Stand, with their exit confirmed. Brandon McMullen reflected on the experience, acknowledging the challenges but also expressing admiration for playing against some of the world's best cricketers, a dream come true for him.
This tough weekend for Scottish sports fans, marked by their national football team’s 5-1 defeat by Germany in the European Championships and the narrow cricket loss, underscored the resilience and determination of the Scottish cricket team. Despite their efforts and minimal mistakes, their journey in the T20 World Cup has come to an end.