Edinburgh, Jan 27 (NationPress) Scotland has announced Richie Berrington as the captain of a 15-member squad for the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup. The team retains 11 players from the 2024 tournament held in the West Indies and the United States.

This squad selection marks the first under new head coach Owen Dawkins, who assumed the role last month. Notably, fast bowler Zainullah Ihsan, who was born in Afghanistan, has received his first call-up to represent Scotland. Additionally, players Tom Bruce (who switched from New Zealand), Finlay McCreath, and Oliver Davidson are set to make their World Cup debuts after participating in limited-overs squads over the previous year.

“The last forty-eight hours have been hectic for everyone at Cricket Scotland. I know Steve, Trudy Lindblade, and the entire organization have been working diligently to prepare for the players and support staff since we confirmed our participation in the World Cup,” said Dawkins.

“We are thrilled and feel honored to seize this opportunity. The players have been engaged in a fitness program recently, with Scott Hislen gearing up for the ICC Cricket World Cup League Two series in Namibia at the end of March. I believe this will serve us well in the upcoming weeks.

“We were about to transition to more individualized skill-specific training and had begun fielding sessions last week, but we are now expediting this process given the recent developments.

“Other teams might have had better preparation opportunities, but we are comfortable with that. We have confidence in our squad's potential to make a significant impact in this tournament, and we are eager to compete in India,” he added.

The announcement remains contingent on visa approvals for players and staff, which are being expedited with the assistance of the ICC. Cricket Scotland has also appointed two traveling reserves and three non-traveling reserves due to the tight timeline for the tournament, with details on travel and warm-up matches to be released soon.

Scotland will face the West Indies, Italy, and England in Kolkata before taking on Nepal in Mumbai, with the top two teams from Group C progressing to the Super Eights. Scotland narrowly missed out on a Super Eights spot in the 2024 edition due to net run rate after a washout against England and a narrow loss to Australia.

“The coaching staff, selectors, and I are genuinely excited about the squad we've assembled. It is well-balanced and prepared for various scenarios and challenges we may encounter in India,” said Snell.

“This is a significant opportunity for Zainullah Ihsan. He has consistently demonstrated an exciting skill set and genuine pace at youth and 'A' levels. We are thrilled for him and eager to watch his performance on his first international tour.

“Oli Davidson has put in tremendous effort to enhance his skills and deserves this call-up. All players are enthusiastic about facing the world's best and embracing the chance they have been given. Our squad is filled with high-caliber cricketers ready to shine and eager to leave an impression on the grand stage,” remarked Steve Snell, the Head of Performance for Cricket Scotland.

Scotland has participated in six previous T20 World Cups, including the last four. They did not qualify through the European Regional Finals last July after losing to Italy and Jersey.

However, they received a last-minute invitation to this prestigious event after Bangladesh opted out of playing in India, and the ICC declined to reschedule their matches in Sri Lanka. Scotland, currently ranked 14th globally, was invited as the highest-ranked team not already in the tournament.

Scotland 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.

Traveling Reserves: Jasper Davidson, Jack Jarvis

Non-Traveling Reserves: Mackenzie Jones, Chris McBride, Charlie Tear.