Scotland eliminated from T20 World Cup after agonising loss to Australia

England’s T20 World Cup campaign is alive – and Jos Buttler’s men have Australia to thank.

Scotland has been eliminated from the T20 World Cup after suffering an agonising five-wicket loss to Australia at Saint Lucia’s Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium on Sunday morning AEST.

The associate nation looked poised to cause a massive upset after Australia stumbled early in the run chase, but blazing fifties from opener Travis Head and all-rounder Marcus Stoinis ensured the 181-run target was reeled in with two balls to spare.

The result means England will progress through to the next stage of the tournament, joining Australia in the Super Eights.

MATCH CENTRE: T20 World Cup, Australia vs Scotland scorecard

Australia was sluggish in the field and with the bat, putting down a whopping six catches, multiple of which would have been considered regulation chances. At one stage, the 2021 champions dropped catches on three consecutive deliveries, while Nathan Ellis fumbled a simple run out on the penultimate ball of Scotland’s innings.

Meanwhile, Scotland will return home with their heads held high after almost inflicting Australia’s first loss to an associate nation in any format since 1983.

Australia’s run chase got off to a horror start when veteran opener David Warner and captain Mitchell Marsh both departing while slogging during the Powerplay, dismissed for 1 and 8 respectively.

Head should have joined them in the sheds in the fifth over, but Michael Jones dropped a high chance at long-on, handing the Australian opener an early reprieve on 15.

A few overs later, Scotland spinner Mark Watt bamboozled the out-of-form Glenn Maxwell with a ripping delivery that turned past the outside edge and cannoned into the stumps, bowled for 11.

The boundaries dried up in the middle overs, with Australia at one stage needing 87 runs from 39 deliveries for victory. However, Stoinis stomped on the accelerator in the 14th over, clobbering five consecutive boundaries to swing momentum back in Australia’s favour.

Head reached his half-century in 45 deliveries before three-consecutive sixes against Safyaan Sharif, picking out long off for 68 (49). Stoinis only needed 25 deliveries to pass fifty, his second of the tournament to date, before miscuing a reverse-sweep against Watt, bowled for 59 (29).

Tim David (24*) and Matthew Wade (4*) knocked off the remainder of the target, with Chris Sole dropping an outfield catch in the final over to seal Scotland’s defeat.

Earlier, the Australians opted to rest star bowlers Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins for the group-stage contest after skipper Marsh won the toss and chose to bowl first.

After spinner Ashton Agar bowled Scotland opener Michael Jones in the first over of the match, George Munsey and Brandon McMullen combined for a destructive 89-run partnership for the second wicket to send a scare through the Australian camp.

McMullen only needed 26 deliveries to reach his half-century, a Scottish record in T20 World Cups, clearing the boundary rope on six occasions.

Munsey fell victim to part-time tweaker Glenn Maxwell in the ninth over, holing out towards deep mid-wicket for 35 (23) before leg-spinner Adam Zampa removed the dangerous McMullen for 60 (34), the highest score by a player for an associate nation against Australia in T20Is.

A late cameo from Richie Berrington (42 not out from 31 balls) steered Scotland towards its highest score in T20 World Cup history. Maxwell finished with 2-44, while Zampa was once again the pick of the Australian bowlers with 1-30 from four overs.

Australia will next face either Bangladesh or the Netherlands at Antigua’s Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Friday, with the first ball scheduled for 10.30am AEST.