An all-round showing from captain Kathryn Bryce secured Scotland’s first win of the T20 World Cup Qualifier in a low-scoring five-wicket win over Zimbabwe.
Bryce snared figures of 2/19 from four overs as Zimbabwe were dismissed for 101 inside 19 overs in Nepal, as her wicketkeeper sister Sarah claimed three stumpings and a run-out.
She then amassed a quickfire 23 off 13 balls to collect the Player of the Match award, as Scotland overcame Loreen Tshuma’s 3/25 to complete a successful chase in the 14th over.
One of those stumpings, of Chiedza Dhururu for 22, gave Kathryn her first scalp, before her second followed two balls later as Nyasha Gwanzura was pinned lbw for four.
Dhururu’s knock aside, however, Modester Mupachikwa’s unbeaten 30 was the only other score above 20, as Rachel Slater and Abtaha Maqsood also both collected two wickets apiece.
Opener Katherine Fraser then held the chase together with 44 from 30 balls, with her partnership of 42 alongside Bryce getting Scotland off to a flier at 60-1 in 7.2 overs.
Tshuma did bowl Bryce one ball later to take the first of her three wickets, but important unbeaten contributions from Megan McColl and Priyanaz Chatterji saw Scotland over the line.
Elsewhere, a second consecutive impressive showing from Ella Claridge with the gloves was not enough for the United States, who went down by 16 runs to Ireland.
Claridge claimed two stumpings, a catch, and was involved in a run-out, but Ireland were indebted to Leah Paul, whose 67 off 52 helped them to post 154-7 in spite of Tara Norris’ 3/10.
It was a target that ultimately proved beyond the Americans, who could only muster 138-8 in reply despite 41 off 30 from Ritu Singh, as Arlene Kelly claimed 4/20.
The results leave both Scotland and the United States in third place in their respective groups, with the top three in each qualifying for the next stage.
Scotland face Thailand in their next game on Saturday, while the USA, having already played three times, are not back in action until a clash with Papua New Guinea on Monday.
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