The ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 burst into life on February 7 with a historic performance from West Indies pace-bowling all-rounder Romario Shepherd, who dismantled Scotland's chase with a sensational hat-trick at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

Shepherd's extraordinary spell saw him become the first West Indian bowler in history to claim a hat-trick in the T20 World Cup, joining an elite group of just ten players to achieve the feat in the tournament's history. The 30-year-old finished with remarkable figures of 5-20 from just three overs, including a devastating four-wicket 17th over that effectively ended Scotland's hopes of an upset.

The hat-trick unfolded in clinical fashion. Matthew Cross was the first victim, chipping a slower ball straight to backward point. Michael Leask followed immediately, miscuing a slog that found Rovman Powell at long-on. Oliver Davidson then fell to a sharp, full nip-backer that crashed into his stumps, completing the historic treble. Shepherd was not done there, adding Safyaan Sharif to his collection to complete his maiden five-wicket haul in T20 internationals.

This was Shepherd's second T20I hat-trick overall, placing him in rarefied company alongside legends such as Lasith Malinga, Pat Cummins, and Tim Southee as the only bowlers to have recorded multiple hat-tricks in the shortest format of the game.

Earlier in the match, Shimron Hetmyer provided the fireworks with the bat, smashing a scintillating 64 off just 36 deliveries. The left-hander launched six towering sixes during his innings, propelling West Indies to an imposing total of 182-5 in their 20 overs. Hetmyer's contribution extended beyond his batting, as he also took a spectacular catch in the field during Scotland's reply.

Scotland's chase started promisingly, with the Associate nation reaching 114-3 and appearing well-placed to challenge the target. Brandon McMullen led the charge with a fluent 42 off 24 balls, while Brad Currie had earlier impressed with the ball, claiming 2-23. However, Shepherd's intervention triggered a dramatic collapse that saw Scotland lose their last seven wickets for just 32 runs, ultimately bowled out for 147 in 18.5 overs.

The match was one of three played on the tournament's opening day, with hosts India defeating USA by 29 runs in Mumbai, and Pakistan edging past Netherlands in a nerve-wracking three-wicket victory in Colombo. Pakistan's match saw Faheem Ashraf rescue his side from a precarious position of 114-7, smashing 29 not out off 11 balls including three sixes in the penultimate over to seal victory.

The 2026 T20 World Cup, jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka, runs until March 8, with 20 teams competing for cricket's most prestigious short-format trophy. Scotland will look to bounce back when they face Italy on February 9 at Eden Gardens, while West Indies prepare for a blockbuster clash against England on February 11 at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium.

For Shepherd, this performance caps an outstanding 18 months that has seen him develop into one of the most valuable all-rounders in world cricket, with his improved batting complementing his already potent pace bowling. On this evidence, West Indies will be a force to be reckoned with as the tournament progresses.