Romario Shepherd etched his name into the record books during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, becoming the first West Indies player to claim a hat-trick in the history of the competition. The landmark moment came during Match No. 3 against Scotland at the iconic Eden Gardens on Saturday.
Shepherd’s sensational spell not only thrilled the Kolkata crowd but also played a decisive role in West Indies’ comfortable 35-run victory to kick-start their campaign in style.
Romario Shepherd hat-trick that turned the match on its head
Shepherd’s historic hat-trick came in the 17th over of Scotland’s chase. Bowling with pace and precision, he dismissed wicketkeeper Matthew Cross, followed by the dangerous Michael Leask, and then Oliver Davidson on three consecutive deliveries.
The collapse didn’t stop there. Shepherd capped off a remarkable over by removing Safyan Sharif for a two-ball duck on the final delivery, completing a four-wicket over that swung the contest firmly in West Indies’ favour.
Here’s the video:
HAT-TRICK FOR SHEPHERD! 🎩🔥
Shepherd completes yet another T20I hat-trick and West Indies tighten the grip! 💪
ICC Men’s #T20WorldCup | #WIvSCO | LIVE NOW 👉 https://t.co/0WePayvggJ pic.twitter.com/7VLUHHAk78
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) February 7, 2026
Shepherd joins elite company in T20 World Cup history
With his hat-trick, Shepherd became the 10th player overall to achieve the feat in T20 World Cup history. The first-ever hat-trick in the tournament was claimed by Australian pace legend Brett Lee, setting the benchmark in earlier editions.
The previous T20 World Cup in 2024 witnessed three hat-tricks, including two by Australian captain Pat Cummins and one by England pacer Chris Jordan. Shepherd’s effort now adds a proud West Indies chapter to that elite list.
Shepherds five-for seals the game for West Indies
Shepherd’s heroics didn’t end with the hat-trick. He went on to claim a five-wicket haul, finishing as the standout bowler of the match. Scotland, who were well-placed at 114 for 3 after 13 overs while chasing 183, completely lost momentum following Shepherd’s explosive spell.
From a competitive position, Scotland collapsed to 147 all out in just 18.5 overs, unable to recover from the sudden loss of wickets.
Earlier in the match, West Indies posted a competitive total of 182 for 5 after being asked to bat first. The innings was anchored by a brutal mid-innings assault from Shimron Hetmyer, who smashed a 22-ball half-century.
After a relatively sedate start, Hetmyer’s counterattack shifted the momentum decisively, ensuring West Indies post enough runs on the scoreboard to apply pressure during the chase.
Also READ: Shimron Hetmyer overtakes Chris Gayle to join elite West Indies club at T20 World Cup 2026
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