Team Scotland: A Mix And Match Of Youth, Nationalities And Veterans

By Meenakshi Rao

New Delhi: Scotland’s quickly stitched up squad for the ICC T20 World Cup, announced on January 27, is a mix of nationalities, first timers, veterans and working professionals.

The head coach, Owen Dawkins, is comparatively new to the team at 47, taking charge in December 2025. Skipper Richie Berrington is a veteran at 38. There are a former New Zealander and an Afghan on the rolls, too. This will be the team’s seventh appearance in the T20 World Cup after they made their debut way back in 2007.

The European side had also participated in the inaugural edition of the tournament, nearly two decades back in 2007.

In Zainullah Ihsan, a first-time call-up for the team, Scotland have an Afghanistan-born fast bowler who recently qualified to play for Scotland. Tom Bruce, on the other hand, is a former New Zealand international player who will beef up their batting department. The 34-year-old has featured in 17 T20Is for the Black Caps before he changed allegiance to Scotland, having been born to a Scottish father from Edinburgh.

Bruce has often talked about a "long Scottish history" within his family. He holds a British passport through his father and previously represented a Scottish Development side in 2016 while playing club cricket in the UK. At that time, ICC residency criteria prevented him from making a full international debut.

After a significant period playing domestic cricket in New Zealand and 17 T20I appearances for the Black Caps between 2017 and 2020, changes in ICC eligibility rules allowed him to switch allegiance and commit to Scotland in August 2025. He boasts of a 140-strike rate in T20s and is known for his aggression with the willow. Though not on a high in New Zealand, he is an asset for the Scots.

Ihsan's history is a compelling story of an Afghan-born fast bowler who arrived in the UK as an unaccompanied asylum seeker and eventually qualified to represent the Scotland national cricket team. At 19, this is his first international call-up, and he is the only uncapped player in the squad debuting in this World Cup. After spending his early years in Afghanistan, he came to the UK seeking safety and a new life.

He was granted refugee status in the UK in 2022. Before arriving in Glasgow, Ihsan had only played tape-ball cricket. He joined the GHK Cricket Club in Glasgow, where his talent as a fast bowler was discovered and nurtured.

He progressed through the Scottish youth and A team ranks, showing an exciting range of skills and genuine pace. He recently qualified to play for Scotland through the residency criteria. His journey from being an Afghan refugee to emerging as an international cricketer for Scotland highlights his resilience and talent and will bring a new dimension to the Scottish bowling attack.

The other unique thing about this associate cricketing nation fast emerging on the sport’s map as growing contenders, is that several players in the current Scottish cricket squad balance their international cricket careers with other full-time professions or jobs. Unlike players from major Test-playing nations, many Scottish cricketers do not have full-time professional contracts solely for Cricket, yet.

Chris Greaves, for example, worked as an Amazon delivery driver before his breakthrough performance in the T20 World Cup. Lead batter Michael Jones serves as the National Accounts Manager for GG Compactors and is also the chairman for the TCA Foundation. Batting wicket-keeper Matthew Cross studied engineering at Loughborough University while playing Cricket.

As for skipper Richie Berrington, before he was awarded a full-time professional contract by Cricket Scotland in 2010, he worked as an accountant and helped his family run a restaurant on weekends. He has stated he will return to accountancy once he retires from the game.

Bruce has signed full-time professional overseas player contracts with county clubs like Lancashire, and Bradley Currie was also awarded a full-time contract with Sussex County Cricket Club after impressing selectors in a trial.

Younger players like Oliver Davidson are still early in their careers and may be students or have other non-cricket jobs. Davidson, just 21, thoug,h is a full-time professional cricketer who makes his money by playing in various leagues in England.

The Scots will be banking on off-spinner Michael Leask to make their mark. Leask is a key player in the subcontinent conditions. He was part of the Scottish squad for the 2016 T20 World Cup held in India. He is one of the few who can talk of direct experience bowling in Indian conditions.

Squad: Richie Berrington (c), 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.