Scotland has announced its 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Qualifier, scheduled to take place in Zimbabwe from June 18 to July 9. The tournament will feature ten teams, with the top two securing their spots in the main ODI World Cup set to be held in India later this year.
Alasdair Evans and Adrian Neill have been named as replacements for Liam Naylor and the retired Kyle Coetzer in the squad. Evans, who recently secured a contract with Cricket Scotland, could make his first One-Day International (ODI) appearance since playing against Oman in 2021. Neill rejoins the squad in excellent form, having impressed with figures of 6/17 during a recent club match with Heriots.
Doug Watson, the interim head coach, expressed his confidence in the squad, stating, "I think there's a good mixture in this squad of youth and senior players who've been around a while, such as Richie and George, as well as some exciting young talent in Jack Jarvis and Chris McBride." He emphasized the players' excitement and readiness for the upcoming challenge, acknowledging the tough conditions they will face in Zimbabwe as winter approaches.
The squad will travel to Pretoria, South Africa, on June 2 for a pre-tournament training camp. They will also participate in two warm-up matches against Nepal and Netherlands before heading to Zimbabwe for the qualifier. The coaching staff supporting Watson and the squad includes Glenn Pocknall as the bowling lead and Graeme Beghin as the batting and fielding lead, with Gavin Cross serving as the physiotherapist.
The Scotland team is determined to adapt to the changing conditions in Zimbabwe and approach the games with their desired style of play. The players are eager to seize the wonderful opportunity presented by the qualifier and strive for success in their quest to secure a spot in the prestigious ODI World Cup.
Scotland squad: Richie Berrington (captain), Matthew Cross, Alasdair Evans, Chris Greaves, Jack Jarvis, Michael Leask, Tom Mackintosh, Chris McBride, Brandon McMullen, George Munsey, Adrian Neill, Safyaan Sharif, Chris Sole, Hamza Tahir, Mark Watt.