T20 World Cup 2021, New Zealand vs Scotland (Super 12): NZ stays in semis contention after comfortable SCO win
By Ayush Gupta | First Published Nov 3, 2021, 8:12 PM ISTOn Wednesday, New Zealand managed to edge past Scotland by 16 runs in Super 12 of the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 in Dubai. With this, NZ stays in semis contention, while SCO is virtually out.
New Zealand seems to have found its mojo back, as it defeated minnows Scotland by 16 runs in Group 2's Super 12 tie of the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup at the Dubai International Stadium on Wednesday. With this win, the Kiwis stay in contention for the playoffs, while the Scottish have been virtually knocked out.
Winning the toss, Scottish skipper Kyle Coetzer opted to bowl, as he made a change by putting out Wallace in place of him. As for the Kiwis, captain Kane Williamson stuck with the same XI. New Zealand was off to an uncertain start, losing Daryl Mitchell (13) and Williamson (0) by the fifth over of the Powerplay, with 35 runs on the board.
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FULL SCORECARD: ICC T20 World Cup 2021, New Zealand vs Scotland (Super 12)
Devon Conway (1) was the next to depart 17 runs later to spinner Mark Watt in the seventh over. However, a practical 105-run stand ensued between Martin Guptill (93) and Glenn Phillips (33) for the fourth wicket before the latter was dismissed by pacer Bradley Wheal, in the 19th over, at 157.
The former scored his 18th T20I half-century but fell short of his T20I ton by seven runs after falling to the same man in the same over. Nevertheless, James Neesham (10*) and Mitchell Santner (2*) helped NZ finish at a commanding total of 172/5. The Scottish put six bowlers into the attack, with Wheal and Safyaan Sharif claiming a couple each, while Watt was heavily economical.
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In reply, Scotland lost Coetzer (17) early pacer Trent Boult in the third over, with 21 runs on the board. However, a 45-run partnership ensued between fellow opener George Munsey (22) and Matthew Cross (27) before the former was dismissed by spinner Ish Sodhi in the eighth, followed by the latter at 76 after being knocked over by pacer Tim Southee in the 11th.
Richie Berrington (20) and Calum MacLeod (12) added 26 more before the latter was cleaned up by Boult in the 15th, while the former fell to Sodhi, four runs later, at 106, in the consequent over. Although Michael Leask (42*) and Chris Greaves (8) kept Scotland in the chase, some economical bowling from the Kiwis allowed it to win by 16 runs.
The Kiwis used five bowlers into the attack, with Boult and Sodhi claiming a couple each, while spinner Santner was the most economical from the side.
Brief scores: New Zealand 172/5 (Guptill- 93, Phillips- 33; Sharif- 2/28) defeated Scotland 156/5 (Leask- 42*; Boult- 2/29) by 16 runs.
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