Scotland to Depart Early for India to Acclimatise for T20 World Cup 2026
In a dramatic turn of events, the Scotland cricket team is set to depart early for India to acclimatise for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026. This opportunity arose after Bangladesh refused to travel to India and were subsequently excluded from the tournament by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Historical Parallel: Repeating 2009 Scenario
This marks the second time Scotland have benefitted from the axing of a team in a T20 World Cup. In 2009, they stepped in for Zimbabwe, who were kept out of the England-hosted edition due to political reasons. Now, seventeen years later, political tensions in the subcontinent have once again opened the door for Scotland.
Cricket Scotland Chief Executive Trudy Lindblade commented on the situation, stating, "We acknowledge that this opportunity has arisen out of challenging and unique circumstances. Our squad have been training for some weeks in preparation for upcoming tours and are now preparing to arrive in India imminently to acclimatise to local conditions, ready to play and contribute to what should be a fantastic ICC Men’s T20 World Cup."
Scotland's Preparation and Tournament Details
The Scotland men's squad has been training for several weeks ahead of scheduled tours and will now travel to India immediately. The team is due to announce selections in the coming days. Scotland are currently ranked 14th globally but missed out on direct qualification, finishing fourth in the Europe region behind teams like Namibia, UAE, Nepal, USA, Canada, Oman, and Italy.
After receiving correspondence from the ICC, Scotland expressed excitement about this opportunity for their players to compete on the global stage in front of millions of supporters.
Group Stage and Venue Information
Scotland have been placed in Group C alongside Italy, Nepal, and the West Indies. Their tournament schedule includes:
- Three matches in Kolkata
- One match in Mumbai
The team is scheduled to play England on Valentine's Day as part of their preparations. Cricket Scotland emphasized their readiness to compete, declaring they are "always ready" to respond to such last-minute invitations.
This development comes amidst broader cricketing controversies, including ICC threats against Pakistan regarding bilateral series, Asia Cup exclusion, and NOCs for PSL overseas players.
