Experienced West Indies all-rounder Chinelle Henry believes it is still too early to say how many wins teams will need to reach the semi-finals of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026. Instead, she feels the West Indies should focus only on winning every match they play.
West Indies continued their unbeaten run in the tournament with a close seven-run win over Scotland Women at Headingley, Leeds, on Thursday, June 18. The victory moved them to second place in the Group B table and improved their chances of reaching the knockout stage.
The Caribbean side still has important matches left against Sri Lanka, England and Ireland. While many teams are fighting for a semi-final spot, Henry said her team is not thinking too far ahead.
“This table is completely blown open, wide open,” Henry said after the West Indies’ win over Scotland. “It’s just about trying to win all of our games and not leaving anything to chance.
“We saw how Scotland came at us tonight, like, pretty hard, so it’s just about trying to take each game one at a time and trying to play our best cricket every time we step out on the park. If we can do that and if we can win all our remaining games, then we’re in a better position to qualify instead of relying on other stuff.”
The match against Scotland was not easy. After being asked to bat first, West Indies found it difficult to build partnerships and were reduced to 85/5 in the 15th over. Scotland’s bowlers kept taking wickets and stayed on top for most of the innings.
However, veteran all-rounder Stafanie Taylor turned the game around with a brilliant unbeaten 47 from just 19 balls. She hit four fours and three sixes and helped West Indies score 68 runs in the last five overs. Her late hitting pushed the team to a fighting total of 153/6 in 20 overs.
Shemaine Campbelle scored 36 runs, while Jahzara Claxton added a quick 16. Taylor’s powerful innings proved to be the biggest difference between the two teams.
Scotland started the chase well. Katherine Fraser scored 20 from 11 balls and Darcey Carter played a fighting knock of 59 from 62 deliveries. Ailsa Lister also made an important 33 and kept Scotland in the game until the closing overs.
But the West Indies stayed calm under pressure. Hayley Matthews and Aaliyah Alleyne picked up three wickets each, while Afy Fletcher took two wickets. Scotland needed 22 runs from the final two overs but could score only 14 as West Indies secured a narrow seven-run win.
Taylor’s match-winning innings earned her the Player of the Match award. While her performance impressed many fans, Henry said she was not surprised.
“I mean, she has been around this team for a very long time,” Henry noted. “She is a senior player, a top player and the way she came out to bat today, it was no surprise. She is always a class act, class performer, and tonight we saw that. And I mean, it was just really, really good to see.”
West Indies have now won all three of their matches in the tournament and are in a strong position in Group B. However, Henry believes the team should stay focused on one match at a time. For her, the goal is simple — keep winning matches and avoid depending on other results to reach the semi-finals.
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