Who is Zainullah Ihsan? Pakistan-born cricketer set to represent THIS country in T20 World Cup

Talk about a whirlwind 48 hours in the world of cricket. Just when we thought the 2026 T20 World Cup groups were set in stone, the ICC has thrown a massive curveball. With Bangladesh officially pulling out over security concerns in India, Scotland has received the ultimate last-minute invite to the party.

It’s an incredible turn of events for the Scots, who now find themselves in Group C alongside heavyweights England and the West Indies, plus Nepal and Italy. The tournament kicks off on February 7th, so as you can imagine, the logistics at Cricket Scotland are currently running on pure caffeine and adrenaline.

A new face in the attack

The headline from the squad announcement on January 26th is undoubtedly Zainullah Ihsan. The Afghan-born fast bowler has just qualified to play for Scotland, and what a way to start your international journey, straight into a World Cup squad.

He’s the only debutant in a 15-man roster that leans heavily on experience. Skipper Richie Berrington will be leading a group that includes 11 players from the 2024 campaign. It’s a smart move; when you’ve only got a few days to prepare, you want guys who have been in the trenches together.

The visa hurdle

Of course, it wouldn’t be a modern cricket tour without some paperwork drama. The squad’s participation is still technically “subject to visa approvals.” While most of the team is ready to fly, there’s a bit of extra scrutiny on the applications for Safyaan Sharif and the newcomer Ihsan.

Coach Owen Dawkins, who only took the reins last month, admitted the last couple of days have been “incredibly busy.” The team was actually in a fitness block preparing for a tour of Namibia in March, so they’re physically ready, now it’s just about getting their skills up to World Cup speed in record time.

Scotland’s T20 World Cup squad

Richie Berrington (c), Tom Bruce, Matthew Cross, Bradley Currie, Oliver Davidson, Chris Greaves, Zainullah Ihsan, Michael Jones, Michael Leask, Finlay McCreath, Brandon McMullen, George Munsey, Safyaan Sharif, Mark Watt, Bradley Wheal.

A Golden Opportunity

Look, nobody wants to see a team like Bangladesh miss out, but for Scotland, this is a “nothing to lose” scenario. They’ve already shown they can punch above their weight (remember them pushing England to the brink in 2024?). With a fearless new pacer in Ihsan and the “no-pressure” tag, they could be the ultimate banana skin for the big teams in Group C.