Scotland’s entry into the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 has come with excitement, confusion, and a lot of pressure. Everything happened very fast after Bangladesh pulled out at the last moment due to security concerns. Since Scotland was the highest-ranked team, they were given the World Cup spot and had to act immediately.
Visa tension grows as Scotland race against time before India travel
But it is not just their preparations for the mega event they are worrying about; the biggest issue right now is visas. Scotland’s first match at the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 is scheduled on February 7 in India, and the team is racing against time to make sure every player and staff member gets clearance to enter the country.
Scotland’s biggest concern is their key fast bowler, Safyaan Sharif, who has Pakistani heritage. In recent years, people with Pakistani roots have often faced delays while applying for Indian visas due to political tensions, but Cricket Scotland is staying positive.
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Cricket Scotland believes that the issue will be resolved in time as the ICC is fully involved and is working closely with Indian authorities and the BCCI to speed things up. The focus over the last two days has been entirely on paperwork, clearances, and travel plans.
They have given the visa assurance: Cricket Scotland
All players are currently submitting their visa applications, and the team is preparing to fly to India as soon as approvals start coming through.
Cricket Scotland CEO Trudy Lindblade stated, “We are all committed [to] working with the ICC to make that happen. The visa piece is always slightly unknown, and it doesn’t matter whether you’ve got three days or whether you’ve got 45 days. Certainly, that’s been our focus in the last 48 hours: just getting those visas done so our players are all ready to go. So, it’s just a matter of time now.”
Lindblade said the ICC is helping with everything that is in their control and is working closely with the BCCI and local officials in India to make sure Scotland gets all the support it needs.
He added, “So, absolutely, [they have given] the assurance that they can provide of things that were in their control. There is a team working very, very hard to not just help us but to help 19 other teams as well that are also going to a World Cup. But we are their intense focus right now.”
ICC lends full support as Scotland take extra visa steps to avoid World Cup chaos
The short notice has made preparation extremely tough for Scotland. With barely any time, the ICC has stepped in to help with planning, logistics, and coordination. Scotland’s head of performance, Steve Snell, hailed the ICC and expects the BCCI to help in getting visas in time.
Steve Snell stated, “We [also] anticipate some support whenever we can [get it] from the BCCI. I don’t think we need to escalate that any further to get into the country, because you’d suggest that Scotland being invited to attend the World Cup and then not being able to get there wouldn’t be a great look for anybody.”
Since the situation is unpredictable, Cricket Scotland has taken extra precautions, as the visa applications have also been submitted for two travelling reserves and three non-travelling reserves. So that even if some players are delayed, Scotland can still put a full team on the field.
Scotland announces T20 World Cup 2026 squad
Meanwhile, Scotland has picked a 19-year-old Zainullah Ihsan, a fast bowler born in Afghanistan, for the squad. He has earned his first call-up and could make his international debut at the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026. Another major addition is Tom Bruce.
He previously played international cricket for New Zealand and featured in 17 T20 matches between 2017 and 2020. After switching to Scotland last year, he made his ODI debut in August and now brings valuable experience to the batting lineup at the mega event.
Scotland will play two warm-up matches in Bengaluru, facing Afghanistan on February 2 and Namibia on February 4. Their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign begins against the West Indies in Kolkata. They will then face Italy, England, and Nepal in the group stage of the tournament.
Scotland squad for T20 World Cup 2026:
Richie Berrington (capt), Tom Bruce, Matthew Cross, Brad Currie, Oli Davidson, Chris Greaves, Zainullah Ihsan, Michael Jones, Michael Leask, Finlay McCreath, Brandon McMullen, George Munsey, Safyaan Sharif, Mark Watt, Brad Wheal
Travelling reserves: Jasper Davidson, Jack Jarvis
Non-travelling reserves: Mackenzie Jones, Chris McBride, Charlie Tear
