Scotland Name Uncapped Ihsan in T20 World Cup Squad

cotland have handed a first international call-up to teenage seamer Zainullah Ihsan in their squad for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in India. The 19-year-old, who was born in Afghanistan, arrived in the UK as an unaccompanied asylum seeker before being granted refugee status in 2022. Ihsan had previously played only tapeball cricket before settling in Glasgow, where he joined GHK Cricket Club and began his development in the structured game.

Ihsan became eligible to represent Scotland last year and has since featured for Scotland A. The World Cup squad selection gives him the opportunity to make his full international debut on the global stage. Finlay McCreath, Oliver Davidson and former New Zealand international Tom Bruce are also included in the squad. Captain Richie Berrington is among 11 players retained from Scotland’s squad at the 2024 T20 World Cup.

Hampshire all-rounder Scott Currie was unavailable for selection after appearing as a substitute fielder for England during their T20 series against Ireland last year, rendering him ineligible under international regulations. Scotland’s head of performance Steve Snell said the squad reflects careful planning for conditions in India. He praised Ihsan’s pace and skillset, highlighting his performances at youth and ‘A’ level, and said the coaching staff were excited to see how he adapts to his first senior international tour.

Snell also commended Oliver Davidson for his recent progress, citing his work ethic and commitment as key factors behind his selection. Scotland initially failed to qualify for the tournament after defeats to Jersey and Italy during the qualifying stages. However, they were later invited to compete after Bangladesh withdrew from the competition. Ranked 14th in the world, Scotland were the highest-ranked team not already qualified and will now take Bangladesh’s place in Group C, where they will face  some of the world’s top sides at the tournament.