Scotland accept ICC's invitation to participate in T20 World Cup
What's the story
Scotland's men's cricket team has accepted an invitation from the International Cricket Council (ICC) to participate in the upcoming T20 World Cup. The tournament is scheduled to be held in India and Sri Lanka from February 7, 2026. This comes after Bangladesh withdrew from the competition due to security concerns over their matches being held in India.
Replacement
ICC's decision to replace Bangladesh with Scotland
The ICC has confirmed that Scotland will take Bangladesh's place in Group C of the tournament. The decision was made after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) insisted on moving their matches out of India over security concerns. However, the ICC rejected BCB's claim and refused to change the tournament schedule earlier this week.
Acceptance
Scotland's acceptance of ICC's invitation
Wilf Walsh, Chair of Cricket Scotland, confirmed the acceptance of the ICC's invitation on behalf of their team. He said they are "willing and ready to go" for this opportunity. Trudy Lindblade, Chief Executive at Cricket Scotland, also expressed excitement about this chance for their players to showcase their skills on a global platform in front of millions.
Readiness
Scotland's preparation for the tournament
Lindblade also noted that their squad has been training for upcoming tours and is now preparing to arrive in India soon. This will help them acclimatize to local conditions before the tournament starts. Walsh thanked ICC for this opportunity, emphasizing that they are ready and willing to take part in what promises to be a fantastic ICC Men's T20 World Cup.
Match schedule
Scotland's group stage matches in T20 World Cup
Scotland will kick off their T20 World Cup campaign on the opening day of the tournament. They will take on West Indies, Italy, and Nepal in Kolkata. This is a major milestone for Scottish cricket as they get ready to compete with some of the best teams in international cricket.
DYK
Scotland featured in the last T20 WC
Notably, Scotland qualified for the last T20 WC as well, in 2024. Having been placed in Group B, they defeated Namibia and Oman, besides scoring 90/0 in 10 overs in a washed-out match against England. Their only loss came against Australia, which was enough to knock them out. Meanwhile, the Scottish side also featured in the 2007, 2009, 2016, 2021, and 2022 tournaments. They have seven wins and 13 defeats in the competition (NR: 2).
Information
Poor run in Europe Qualifier
Meanwhile, Scotland's dreams to officially qualify for the 2026 event had ended after they were eliminated from last year's Europe Qualifier. Having played three concluded games, they lost two and won one. They hence finished fourth in the five-team tournament.