Scotland was granted participation in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 after Bangladesh withdrew from the tournament over political issues with New Delhi. Following the withdrawal of the Asian side, the International Cricket Council (ICC) decided to replace them with the next best-placed team in the ICC Men's T20I Team Rankings. "Obviously, this is not how we wanted to go to a World Cup. There is a qualification process and nobody wants to qualify or attend or be invited to a World Cup in the way that we have done. We acknowledge that our participation comes under certainly unique circumstances, and we do feel for the Bangladesh players," a Cricket Scotland representative said after their late entry to the World Cup was announced.
However, the European team is no pushover, with six editions of the coveted event already behind them. They joined the "big boys" for the 2007, 2009, 2016, 2021, 2022, and 2024 editions of the T20 World Cup. India holds a special place for the Scottish T20 set-up, as it was in the 2016 edition hosted by that country where they recorded their first-ever World Cup win against Hong Kong. When the tournament moved to the Middle East in 2021, Scotland progressed from the group stages for the first time—famously beating Bangladesh to top their group. In the next edition Down Under, they registered a memorable win against the West Indies despite failing to make it past the group. In 2024, Scotland performed strongly but narrowly missed out on the Super 8 stage on Net Run Rate.
Their players have been training in recent weeks for the upcoming Cricket World Cup League Two series against Namibia. The team suddenly has a bigger job on their hands under their new head coach, Owen Dawkins, who replaced Doug Watson in December. Thus, the last-minute call-up is no excuse for Scotland to lean on if they are unable to replicate their good runs in recent editions of the tournament. With Nepal and Italy being drawn to the same group, they are far from the underdog tag this time.
Squad
Richie Berrington, Tom Bruce, Matthew Cross, Bradley Currie, Oliver Davidson, Chris Greaves, Zainullah Ihsan, Michael Jones, Michael Leask, Finlay McCreath, Brandon McMullen, George Munsey, Safyaan Sharif, Mark Watt, Bradley Wheal. [Travelling reserves: Jasper Davidson, Jack Jarvis, Non-travelling reserves: Mackenzie Jones, Chris McBride, Charlie Tear.]
Fixtures
February 7: Scotland vs West Indies [Kolkata]
February 9: Scotland vs Italy [Kolkata]
February 14: Scotland vs England [Kolkata]
February 17: Scotland vs Nepal [Mumbai]
Probable Starting XI
Brandon McMullen, George Munsey, Richie Berrington, Tom Bruce, Matthew Cross, Michael Leask, Michael Jones, Chris Greaves, Safyaan Sharif, Bradley Wheal, Mark Watt.
Key players
Richie Berrington: The talismanic captain, with 10 T20I fifties, one century and 28 wickets to his credit, is a true titan of the Scottish cricket setup. When the team achieved its much-awaited first victory over ICC Full Member Bangladesh in a T20 International in July 2012, Berrington played a crucial role by scoring a ton. The Pretoria-born all-rounder has been representing Scotland since the Under-15 level, and at 38, the upcoming World Cup could be his final shot at a memorable ICC event. His seam bowling could come in handy, particularly after key fast bowler Scott Currie missed out due to ICC eligibility rules. The veteran's experience and on-field tactics could play a vital role if the team is to progress to the Super Eight stage.
George Munsey: Munsey made his T20I debut in 2015 against Ireland and scored his maiden international fifty a month later during a T20 World Cup Qualifier game. He has managed two tons and 13 half-centuries from 81 outings, clobbering 2,302 runs in the shortest format of the game. The left-hander brings the power-hitting Scotland needs at the top of the order. His ability to make the most of fielding restrictions will be crucial for the side—particularly against the vastly experienced England and West Indies. "With his ability to clear the ropes consistently and prowess with the switch hit, he continues to play an important role in the Powerplay overs," the ICC wrote about the Scottish opener.
Safyaan Sharif: Born in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, to a Pakistani father and a British-Pakistani mother, Sharif moved to Scotland at the age of seven. The 34-year-old right-arm medium-fast bowler is expected to lead the Scottish attack. He has 85 scalps from 75 games to his credit, and his expertise in dismissing top-order batters in the Powerplay itself could be crucial for the Scots. Around the time he broke into the Scotland set-up, Sharif followed his father's advice and went to Pakistan to train, the BBC said in a report. The seamer admits this was the right call as it helped him become a more rounded bowler.
Tournament prediction
To qualify, Scotland must finish ahead of at least one of the "big two"—England and the West Indies. The Caribbeans already know what Berrington's team is capable of in the tournament, while the Three Lions were humbled by their neighbours during a T20 World Cup warm-up match. As said earlier, a defeat against Italy or Nepal would be unpardonable for the European side. Progressing from the group stage could indeed make Scotland a surprise entrant to the Super 8s, but it remains more possible than probable.