Cricket Scotland announced their 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup 2026 on Monday, January 27, with Richie Berrington named as captain. The team will compete in the tournament starting February 7 across India and Sri Lanka after replacing Bangladesh in the competition. Head coach Owen Dawkins selected his first World Cup squad just one month after taking charge in December 2025.
The squad includes 11 players who played at the 2024 T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the United States. Three cricketers will make their World Cup debuts for Scotland. Tom Bruce, a 34-year-old former New Zealand international with 17 T20Is, joins after switching allegiance. Finlay McCreath and Oliver Davidson complete the list of first-time participants.
Scotland was placed in Group C alongside England, the West Indies, Italy and Nepal. The team opens their campaign against the West Indies at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on February 7. Steve Snell, head of performance at Cricket Scotland, said the coaching staff picked a balanced squad suited for conditions in India.
Last Minute Entry After Bangladesh Exit
The International Cricket Council confirmed Scotland as replacements on Saturday, January 25, following Bangladesh’s withdrawal from the 2026 T20 World Cup. Bangladesh refused to play their group matches in India, citing security worries. The ICC rejected their request to shift venues and removed them from the tournament completely.
Scotland ranked 14th in T20 internationals, got the call as the highest-ranked team outside automatic qualification. Cricket Scotland CEO Trudy Lindblade and her staff worked through a chaotic 48-hour period to finalize squad selections and travel arrangements. The team needs visa approvals for all players and staff before departure, with the ICC helping expedite the process.
This marks the second time Scotland entered a T20 World Cup as late replacements. They took Zimbabwe’s spot in the 2009 edition under similar circumstances. Owen Dawkins acknowledged the challenge of preparing on short notice but expressed confidence in the selected players.
Uncapped Afghan-born pacer Gets Call
Zainullah Ihsan becomes the only uncapped player in the squad. The Afghanistan-born fast bowler recently qualified to represent Scotland and impressed selectors with genuine pace at the youth level and in A-team matches. His inclusion adds a fresh bowling option for the tournament.
Safyaan Sharif returns to the squad despite potential visa scrutiny. Born in Huddersfield to Pakistani parents, Sharif may face additional checks when applying for travel documents to India. Cricket Scotland’s official statement mentioned that visa approvals remain pending for the entire touring party.
Notable absences from the squad include Chris Sole, who stepped away from professional cricket recently. Fast bowler Scott Currie became ineligible after England selected him for their international setup. The selectors chose experience over youth in most positions, given the short preparation time available.
Failed Qualification Makes Entry Unexpected
Scotland actually failed to qualify through the proper channels. The team lost matches to Italy and Jersey at the European Regional Finals in July 2025. Those defeats meant Scotland missed direct qualification despite being ranked higher than both opponents.
Italy’s presence in Group C creates an interesting subplot. The Italians beat Scotland in the Regional Finals and earned their World Cup spot properly. Now both teams meet again in the group stage, with Italy looking to prove their earlier win was no fluke. Nepal rounds out the five-team group as the rising Asian side.
Scotland’s late entry into the T20 World Cup gives them a second chance they did not earn on the field. The team nearly reached the Super 8 stage in 2024 but missed out on net run rate after a washout against England and a narrow loss to Australia. That near miss provided valuable experience for several players now selected again.
Short Preparation Window
Scotland gets just 11 days between the squad announcement and their opening match. Most competing nations had six months or more to prepare for the tournament. Owen Dawkins admitted other teams enjoyed better preparation opportunities but said his squad accepts the situation.
The team plays two warm-up matches in Bengaluru before the tournament starts. Scotland faces Afghanistan on February 2 and Namibia on February 4. Those games provide the only competitive practice before taking on the West Indies at a packed Eden Gardens.
Dawkins assembled his squad knowing fixtures and opponents for less than a week. The coach selected travelling reserves Jasper Davidson and Jack Jarvis to provide cover options. Three non-travelling reserves Mackenzie Jones, Chris McBride and Charlie Tear, stay on standby in case of injuries or visa problems.
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Group C Challenge Awaits
England enters as one of the tournament favorites after recent success in global competitions. West Indies won the T20 World Cup in 2016 and remains dangerous despite recent struggles. Italy qualified for their first-ever World Cup and will play with nothing to lose against bigger names.
Scotland plays all group matches in Kolkata except the Nepal fixture scheduled for Mumbai. The top two teams from Group C advance to the Super 8 stage. Scotland needs to win at least two matches to have realistic hopes of progressing further.
This becomes Scotland’s seventh appearance at a T20 World Cup. The team previously competed in 2007, 2009, 2016, 2021, 2022 and 2024. Scotland never reached the knockout rounds in any edition but came closest last year before net run rate eliminated them.
Scotland Squad for T20 World Cup 2026
Richie Berrington will captain a squad built around experience and familiarity. Matthew Cross keeps wicket while Brandon McMullen and George Munsey provide batting firepower. Mark Watt leads the spin attack with Chris Greaves offering support. Bradley Currie, Bradley Wheal and Safyaan Sharif handle fast bowling duties alongside newcomer Zainullah Ihsan.
Michael Jones and Michael Leask bring all-around skills to balance the team. Tom Bruce adds middle-order experience from his time playing international cricket for New Zealand. Oliver Davidson gets his chance after recent improvements caught the selectors’ attention during domestic competitions.
The tournament runs from February 7 until March 8 across multiple venues in India and Sri Lanka. Scotland hopes their experience from recent World Cups helps overcome the disadvantage of late preparation and short planning time.
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