Carter hopes for more cricket after Scotland threaten T20 World Cup upsets

The Rise of Scottish Cricket on the Global Stage

If someone had told Darcey Carter only a few weeks ago that she would emerge as the leading run-scorer at a point during the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, she might have been skeptical. Even more surprising is that she has successfully overtaken established stars like Smriti Mandhana on the run charts. However, for the young batter, individual accolades are secondary to the collective success of her side.

“It’s great to be able to score runs, but at the end of the day, if the team’s not winning, those runs are almost irrelevant for me personally,” Carter remarked following Scotland’s six-wicket defeat to New Zealand in Bristol. Despite her disappointment, her form has been a beacon of hope for a Scotland squad that is clearly punching above its weight.

Moving Beyond Personal Milestones

Both of Carter’s crucial half-centuries in this tournament have come in losses—first against the West Indies in Leeds and subsequently against New Zealand. While the team failed to secure the victory, Carter’s ability to maintain composure when marquee players like Kathryn and Sarah Bryce did not fire has showcased a surprising depth within the Scottish ranks. This is a far cry from their previous outing, where the burden of scoring rested heavily on a few shoulders.

“The last time I was here, I probably didn’t get as many runs as I would have liked at the last World Cup,” Carter reflected. “Taking a bit of ownership for this team and trying to put us in the best positions possible is really what matters to me most.” Her personal growth mirrors that of the team, which has transitioned from being participants to being genuine spoilers for the world’s elite teams.

A Transformative Journey

Reflecting on their debut at the 2024 tournament, where they failed to record a single win and struggled to keep pace with top-tier nations, the current evolution of the team is stark. The narrative flipped early in this edition with a landmark win against Ireland. While Ireland has struggled to find a foothold, Scotland has demonstrated a newfound confidence. They challenged defending champions New Zealand in both powerplays and pushed the West Indies to the wire.

Carter notes this improvement with pride: “We’re quite proud of how we have held ourselves, and how we’re really giving good competition to these big teams. There’s probably a bit of disappointment that we’ve maybe not finished the games as well as we would have liked. But to be able to set the games up in that position is something we didn’t do last time.”

The Need for Increased Exposure

Despite their progress, the path forward remains challenging. Since the last World Cup, Scotland has played 25 matches, including series in Thailand, Nepal, and a home tri-series. While they have won 17 of those fixtures, the lack of consistent exposure to Full Member nations remains a significant hurdle. Bangladesh was the only Full Member they encountered during that period.

“We don’t play as much cricket as we would like,” Carter explained. “Coming into these tournaments, it’s quite difficult to go straight up against the best opposition without much practice against higher-ranked teams.”

Looking Toward the Future

While the majority of the squad competes in English domestic cricket—providing them with invaluable experience against professional opposition—they remain outside the structure of the Women’s Championship. This structural limitation is the next barrier to clear for long-term success. As Carter emphasized, playing more frequent, high-stakes matches is the only way to refine their approach under pressure.

As the team looks toward their final group match against Sri Lanka, the focus remains on closing the gap. With a young, talented roster finding its feet on the global stage, the message from the Scottish camp is clear: they are no longer just here to compete; they are here to challenge, and they are hungry for the experience required to eventually turn those close calls into historic victories.