Kingdom plays its part in Scotland's historic T20 World Cup win

Buckhaven cricketer Safyaan Sharif helped Scotland make history in the opening game of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Safyaan Sharif celebrates after Scotland's victory. Photo by Haithaim Al-Shukairi/AFP via Getty ImagesSafyaan Sharif celebrates after Scotland's victory. Photo by Haithaim Al-Shukairi/AFP via Getty Images
Safyaan Sharif celebrates after Scotland's victory. Photo by Haithaim Al-Shukairi/AFP via Getty Images

The Scots opened their campaign with a six-run victory over Bangladesh at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Oman.

Chris Greaves, who along with Sharif once played his club cricket for Glenrothes CC, helped the Scots on their way with a 28-ball 45 with the bat and was 2 for 19 with the ball as the Scots recovered from 53/6 to record their first-ever win over a full member at a major ICC event.

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It was a magnificent display of grit and determination from Scotland who were 53/6 at one stage, in deep in trouble and staring defeat in the face.

Greaves led the fightback, reverse-sweeping Afif for four then Mahedi for six, while Mark Watt added a 17-ball 22 as the duo put on 51, a Scottish record for the seventh wicket in T20Is.

Watt skied a catch to Sarkar, but Greaves marched on, ramping a six over deep third man as eleven came from the eighteenth.

He, too, fell, five short of what would have been a deserved 50, but both Josh Davey and Sharif cleared the ropes again to take Scotland to 140/9 against the sixth-best T20 side in the world, an ultimately match-winning total.

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Bangladesh tried to eat into Scotland’s score but Sharif, Scotland’s history-maker in the June 2018 win against England, closed out the final over.

The Scots are next due to meet Papa New Guinea, who were beaten by Oman in the opening game of the tournament, on Tuesday morning.

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