Scotland (B)
Scotland will be heading into their sixth T20 World Cup with a blend of experience and youthful exuberance, hoping to continue their track record of a blockbuster opening fixture and, perhaps, take a step further this time.
While they have only five wins in their 18 appearances in the mega event, the Scottish side can take heart from what they had done in the past two editions.
They began the 2022 T20 World Cup in grand fashion, stunning two-time world champions West Indies with a 42-run defeat in Hobart. Even though Scotland had failed to progress to the next stage, that thumping victory saw the West Indies lose track and exit from the first-round group stage.
In the 2021 T20 World Cup, Scotland opened their campaign by beating superior-ranked Bangladesh by six runs in Muscat and went on to progress to the Super 12s as group winners.
Will they be able to repeat their opening-fixture heroics this time as well? The task this time, however, will be monumental, with Scotland commencing against defending champions England in Bridgetown on June 4.
KEY PLAYER
RICHIE BERRINGTON
With 87 T20Is to his name – most for any Scottish player – skipper Richie Berrington will be pivotal to the T20 World Cup plans of Scotland. In the last 12 months, the 37-year-old top-order batter has scored at an average of 42.66 with a staggering strike rate north of 170. Of the 10 T20I fifties he has scored in his career, three came during this period which is also the most by anyone in this Scottish side.
SQUAD
Richie Berrington (C), Matthew Cross, Brad Currie, Chris Greaves, Oli Hairs, Jack Jarvis, Michael Jones, Michael Leask, Brandon McMullen, George Munsey, Safyaan Sharif, Chris Sole, Charlie Tear, Mark Watt, Brad Wheal
STAT ATTACK
T20 World Cup Appearance: 6th
T20 World Cup Performance: Played 18, Won 5, Lost 12, NR 1
DID YOU KNOW?
Scotland earned their place in the 2024 T20 World Cup by winning all six of their qualifying matches in the Europe zone.
FORM GUIDE: W, W, L, W, W, W, W, W, W, L
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