Scotland have announced their 15 member squad for the ICC Mens T20 World Cup 2026 which will be played in India and Sri Lanka from February 7. The squad includes Afghan born fast bowler Zainullah Ihsan who has received his first international call up after recently qualifying to play for Scotland.
Richie Berrington will captain the side and leads a strong and experienced group. As many as eleven players from Scotlands 2024 T20 World Cup squad in the West Indies and USA have been selected again. The squad announcement is the first made under new head coach Owen Dawkins who took charge last month.
Ihsan is the only uncapped player in the squad and has impressed at youth level and for the Scotland A team. His inclusion adds pace depth to the bowling attack as Scotland prepare for a challenging tournament in subcontinent conditions.
Zainullah Ihsan earns first international call up
Zainullah Ihsan has been on the radar of selectors for some time due to his performances at age group level and with the A squad. Head of performance Steve Snell said Ihsan has shown an exciting range of skills and bowls at genuine pace. He added that the coaching staff are delighted with his progress and are eager to see how he adapts to international cricket.
Along with Ihsan Tom Bruce Finlay McCreath and Oliver Davidson are set to play at a World Cup for the first time. All three players have been involved in Scotlands T20 and ODI squads over the last year and have earned their places through consistent performances.
Scotland enter tournament at short notice
Scotland have entered the T20 World Cup as a late replacement for Bangladesh. The Bangladesh team requested their matches to be moved out of India due to security concerns but the ICC did not approve the request. As the next highest ranked team Scotland were invited to take part in the tournament last week.
Head coach Owen Dawkins described the last forty eight hours as a whirlwind for everyone involved. He said the players have been working on fitness in recent weeks while preparing for a League Two series in Namibia and believes that work will help during the World Cup. Dawkins admitted that preparation time has been limited but said Scotland have players capable of making a real impact.
Scotland will open their campaign against West Indies at Eden Gardens on February 7.
