T20 World Cup: Scotland ‘absolutely ready’ after last-minute call-up – but need flights and visas to be issued | Cricket News

Scotland are “absolutely ready to go” at the T20 World Cup after their last-minute invite – provided there are no hiccups with flights and visas ahead of their planned travel to India.

The side will take Bangladesh’s spot at the 20-team tournament from February 7 after the Asian nation refused to play games in India due to political tensions.

Scotland will join Group C, alongside England, West Indies, Nepal and tournament debutants Italy, as the next-highest country in the ICC’s T20I rankings not to have already qualified.

The team face a race against time ahead of their World Cup opener against West Indies in Kolkata on the first day, although Cricket Scotland CEO Trudy Lindblade told Sky Sports News that all players are available and a kit is now sorted.

Lindblade, whose side will play England on Valentine’s Day, with that game starting at 9.30am UK, said: “There is terrific excitement but also a lot to get done in a very short period of time.

“The team is absolutely ready. We have been doing winter training but certainly need to get on grass and acclimatise to conditions in India, which are very different to here in Edinburgh at the moment.

“Cricket is a 365-day-a-year sport. We have had players around the world playing franchise cricket so we are ready to do Scotland proud.”

‘Touch and go’ but Scotland ‘confident’ they will make it

“We know all the players can be available. The opportunity to be at a World Cup in India, cricket’s heartland, was a fairly easy decision for the players, although maybe slightly longer conversations with the families before they leave. Everybody is ready to play.

“Trying to get a team out of Scotland and to India in less than seven days does come with challenges – flights and visas are the biggest things for us. If we get those, we will have a team out by the weekend.

“There are times it will be touch and go but I am confident. We are relying on the ICC to work really hard with us. We have a WhatsApp group that goes for 21 hours a day. I have a small team but this is when great teams shine.”

Scotland finished fourth in the European Qualifier as Netherlands and Italy took the two spots available for that region in the T20 World Cup, ahead of third-placed Jersey.

However, Scotland impressed in the previous T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and USA in 2024 and may well have beaten England in the group stage had rain not intervened, after reaching 90-0 from the 10 overs possible in Barbados.

They also challenged Australia before defeat to Mitch Marsh’s side saw them eliminated in the group stage on net run-rate with England advancing ahead of them.

Lindblade added of this year’s tournament: “It is an opportunity for us to play against the best teams in the world. Hopefully some upsets will happen along the way as that’s what creates drama and memories. We are going to give it our best shot.

“We are there to play our best and move through the stages. Not having the same preparation as other teams does take a little bit of the pressure off but equally we know we will put pressure on ourselves to get the best outcome for Scotland.”

Scotland’s T20 World Cup fixtures

All times UK and Ireland, all live on Sky Sports

• Saturday February 7: vs West Indies in Kolkata (9.30am)
• Monday February 9: vs Italy in Kolkata (5.30am)
• Saturday February 14: vs England in Kolkata (9.30am)
• Tuesday February 17: vs Nepal in Mumbai (1.30pm)