Women's T20 World Cup: Scotland hammer Ireland by 40 runs to claim their first win in tournament history

Scotland claimed their first-ever ICC Women's T20 World Cup win with a 40-run thumping of Ireland in the first of a 2026 tournament double-header at Old Trafford, which also saw South Africa collapse to a damaging defeat to Australia.

Scotland skipper Kathryn Bryce and former England spinner Kirstie Gordon were the difference makers as the former smashed 60 off 39 balls to set Ireland a stiff 162 to win, before Gordon (3-16) dismantled their middle order with three wickets in four balls.

Sarah Bryce (49 off 35) was also instrumental in the victory, sharing in a 106-run partnership with her sister that helped Scotland recover from 36-2 to post 161-5 after being inserted.

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Katherine Fraser (15) had been the first to fall, to a terrific Alice Tector catch in the swirling wind on the deep midwicket boundary, while Darcey Carter (14) was cleaned up by an Aimee Maguire (1-37) yorker.

The Bryce sisters joined forces in the sixth over and proceeded to belt the ball to all parts, which included taking 36 from the 11th and 12th overs.

At that stage it looked like Scotland might threaten a score of 180-plus, but they faded down the stretch, with only 19 runs added in the final four overs as Sarah Bryce fell one short of her half century and Kathryn was finally dismissed in the 19th - Ava Canning finishing with 3-27.

In reply, Ireland never got going, as Kathryn Bryce's day got even better with a brilliant, one-handed catch off her own bowling to dismiss Alana Dalzell (6) in the opening over.

Ireland fell badly behind the required rate and were only 37-2 in the eighth over when captain Gaby Lewis' painstaking 19-ball stay in the middle was ended for 11, stumped by Sarah Bryce off Fraser (3-19).

Fraser added Amy Hunter for 33, before Gordon - playing for her birth country after having represented England six times over 2018 and '19 - then took charge in the 13th over, seeing off Rebecca Stokell (6) and Tector (0) - both bowled - either side of Leah Paul (0), claimed caught and bowled.

The wickets of Paul and Tector had Gordon on a hat-trick to start her next over, which she was so close to claiming when one turned past Orla Prendergast's outside edge.

Ultimately Prendergast (33) was one of a couple of calamitous run outs late on as Ireland were bowled out for 121, with Kathryn Bryce fittingly claiming the final wicket.

What's next?

Ireland are next in action in Group B on Wednesday against England, who also got their tournament off to a winning start against Sri Lanka on Friday night. The two teams meet in Southampton (first ball 6.30pm).

Scotland, meanwhile have to wait until Thursday for their next game against the West Indies at Headingley (first ball 6.30pm).

South Africa collapse to damaging defeat to Australia

Six-time Women's T20 World Cup champions Australia secured a dominant 65-run win over South Africa in their opening Group A clash in Manchester.

Phoebe Litchfield top-scored with a scintillating 23-ball fifty, only to perish to her very next ball as Australia lost wickets at regular intervals after electing to bat first at the toss.

They looked in a bit of trouble at 62-4 in the eighth over, as Ashleigh Gardner perished three balls after Litchfield, but valuable contributions from Ellyse Perry (36 off 26), Georgia Wareham (32 off 22) and Annabel Sutherland (21 off 14) ultimately took the team to a match-winning total of 172-8.

Earlier, the 37-year-old seamer Shabnim Ismail (1-33) - having reversed her international retirement - claimed a first wicket in three years when Beth Mooney (7) nicked off to the Proteas pacer.

As South Africa set about their chase, Australia captain Sophie Molineux (2-17) claimed Sune Luus (1) in the opening over before she later added the key scalp of her opposite number Laura Wolvaardt (44 off 39).

Nadine de Klerk (25 off 22) had shared in a promising 41-run partnership for the third wicket with Wolvaardt before being brilliantly bowled by leg-spinner Wareham (3-13).

South Africa offered little resistance thereafter, with Wolvaardt's wicket in the 14th over triggering an almighty collapse of 6-11 as Alana King (2-26) and Wareham tore through the Proteas' lower order.

What's next?

Australia are up against Bangladesh in their next Group A game, on Wednesday morning at Headingley (first ball 10.30am), while South Africa face off later that day against Pakistan at Edgbaston (first ball 6.30pm).

Their two opponents are first in action on Sunday as part of a double-header at Edgbaston which sees Bangladesh go up against Netherlands (first ball 10.30am) and then Pakistan play India in a huge clash (first ball 2.30pm).

You can watch those games and every single match of the Women's T20 World Cup exclusively live on Sky Sports.

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