Scotland targeting 'scalps and headlines' at World Cup

ICC Men's T20 World Cup, Group B: England v Scotland

Venue: Kensington Oval, Bridgetown Date: Tue, 4 June Time: 15:30 BST

Coverage: Live connected BBC Test Match Special connected BBC Sounds and Radio 5 Sports Extra connected Tuesday, pinch matter commentary and in-play video clips connected nan BBC Sport website and app

Scotland person made a wont of punching supra their weight astatine ICC world events successful caller years.

In 2021, they started their T20 World Cup run pinch a triumph complete Bangladesh, while successful nan aforesaid title a twelvemonth later they downed two-time champions West Indies successful Hobart.

At past summer's 50-over World Cup qualifier successful Zimbabwe, Scotland hit nan hosts, West Indies and Ireland arsenic they came agonisingly adjacent to reaching nan tourney proper, only to autumn to nan Netherlands astatine nan last hurdle.

Once much underdogs, Scotland commencement their 2024 T20 World Cup against England connected Tuesday earlier facing Namibia, Oman and Australia successful Group B. The apical 2 sides will beforehand to nan Super 8s.

"Success for america is getting to nan adjacent stage," spinner Mark Watt said. "Taking a fewer scalps on nan way; putting immoderate headlines out."

Scotland person possibly ne'er written a greater header than nan past clip these 2 sides met.

In 2018, nan Scots won a thrilling one-day international successful Edinburgh by six runs, acknowledgment mostly to Calum MacLeod's magnificent 140 not out.

Watt was nan prime of Scotland's bowlers that day, taking 3-55, and nan 27-year-old is targeting different upset successful Barbados.

"We’ve been location and done that, truthful that gives america nan belief we tin do it again," he said. "All nan guys are raring to go.

"You’ve sewage to return nan aforesaid attack to each game, support doing nan basics good and springiness 110%. You ne'er cognize what’s going to hap connected nan day.

"They person a batch of match-winners, but they’ve not been successful nan Caribbean for overmuch preparation, truthful hopefully they return a spot of clip to get utilized to nan pitches.

"We’ve been retired present [for complete a week]. That could beryllium a flimsy advantage for us."

Scotland's regular wins against full-member nations are much awesome erstwhile 1 considers they very seldom play against them extracurricular ICC tournaments.

Bilateral bid travel astir possibly erstwhile a year, pinch world cricket providing very fewer opportunities for subordinate nations to trial themselves against nan world's best.

Indeed, Scotland past faced Australia successful immoderate shape of cricket 9 years agone and person ne'er played them successful a T20.

"Our guys person besides sewage a constituent to beryllium arsenic we’ve not had a immense magnitude of cricket complete nan past mates of years," seam bowler Brad Wheal said.

"This is an opportunity for guys to put their hands up and show nan world we tin situation immoderate world squad. Hopefully much fixtures travel disconnected nan backmost of it if we impressment immoderate people."

Scotland are only classed supra Oman successful Group B - a consequence of their deficiency of cricket - but pinch a akin squad to nan 1 that came done qualifying successful location conditions past summer, caput coach Doug Watson is confident.

"Every tourney we play, we want to triumph each game," nan South African added.

"But we conscionable request to dial it backmost and make judge we are focusing connected each infinitesimal of each crippled and not looking excessively acold ahead. We besides request to make judge we bask each moment."