Australia did England a huge favor by defeating Scotland by five wickets in a crucial match at the T20 World Cup in St Lucia. The loss meant Richie Berrington’s Scotland team exited the Super Eight stage race. Earlier in the day, England had beaten Namibia in a rain-affected match, putting them in need of an Australian victory to stay in contention.
Chasing 181, Australia stumbled early but recovered thanks to Travis Head’s 68 and Marcus Stoinis’ quickfire 59. The duo shared an impressive 80-run partnership that turned the game in Australia’s favor after they were reduced to 60/3.
Scotland had earlier posted a competitive total of 180/5, led by Brandon McMullen’s aggressive 60 and valuable contributions from George Munsey (35) and captain Richie Berrington (42*). Despite their efforts, Australia’s experienced batsmen managed to chase down the target with six balls to spare.
The win was crucial for England’s hopes in the tournament, as Australia’s victory ensured England a spot in the next stage based on net run rate calculations.
