In the third and fourth-place play-off, openers Kyle Coetzer and Ryan Watson put on 102 runs for the first wicket as Scotland thumped the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003 semi-finalist Kenya by nine wickets with 11 balls to spare.

It was the joint-fifth best first wicket partnership in the history of Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) after Australia's Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist scored 102 against Bangladesh at Cape Town during last year's ICC World Twenty20.

Captain Watson scored 54 off 61 balls with six fours while Durham's Coetzer stayed undefeated on 48 from 45 balls with five fours and a six. Watson was later declared man of the match.

By virtue of securing berths in Tuesday's final, Ireland and the Netherlands have been guaranteed places in the 12-team ICC World Twenty20 2009 to be staged at Lord's, The Oval and Trent Bridge next year

The inclusion of Scotland for next year's event is dependent on Zimbabwe Cricket's Board ratifying a decision taken by its officials during ICC Annual Conference week, to step back from the tournament.

If Zimbabwe confirms it won't play, the top Associate from the Belfast event will take Zimbabwe's place in Group A (with India and Bangladesh), the losing finalist will ease into Group B (with England and Pakistan) and the third place side takes a position in Group D (with South Africa and New Zealand).

However, if Zimbabwe opts not to ratify its earlier decision to step back from the tournament, the top Associate will join England and Pakistan in Group B and the losing finalists will form Group D with South Africa and New Zealand.

The semi-finals results means the ICC World Twenty20 2009 will certainly have two new teams in the competition while Scotland, which played in the inaugural event last year along with Kenya, will know in due course whether or not it will be in England.