Scotland's Final Push for World Cup Qualifier Spot Begins Now

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-08-03

Scotland is on the verge of something big. With just four matches left in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup League 2, the team is hosting UAE and Canada in a tri-series that could lock in their place at next year's World Cup Qualifier. It's the kind of moment that defines a squad — the pressure, the stakes, and the chance to control your own destiny. Right now, Scotland sits third in the League 2 standings. Only the top four teams earn a direct ticket to the Qualifier; everyone else drops into the Qualifier Play-off, which is a much harder road. A strong showing over the next ten days would all but seal the deal, and the team knows it. ### Scotland's Squad Gets a Fresh Look Injuries and form have forced some changes. Brad Currie and Owen Gould are out with injuries, and experienced all-rounder Michael Leask has been left out after featuring on the Nepal tour in May. Coming in are Zainullah Ihsan and Michael Jones, plus young batter Lyle Robertson, who earns his first call-up to the senior squad. It's also the first home series for new coach Owen Dawkins. He's been upbeat about what the team can do, saying the Nepal tour was tough but valuable — good cricket against strong opposition in difficult conditions. Dawkins wants the squad to build on that experience and keep improving in front of home fans. He's made it clear the players have a plan and they're focused on executing it, both individually and as a unit. ### UAE and Canada Are Hungry for Results Don't sleep on UAE and Canada. Both teams are at the bottom of the League 2 table, but they have more matches left than the sides above them. That means they're dangerous — they have nothing to lose and everything to gain. UAE all-rounder Akshdeep Nath is feeling confident, and he's got a good reason. He pointed to Ireland's recent series win over T20 World Cup champions India as proof that anything can happen in cricket. Sure, UAE have never beaten Scotland, but as Nath put it, Ireland had never beaten India either — until they did. He called this a new start, saying the current group feels more connected than past squads. Players understand their roles better now, and the goal is clear: win at least three of the four matches, if not all of them. ### Full Squads for the League 2 Tri-Series Here's who's playing in this crucial series: **Scotland:** Richie Berrington (c), Matthew Cross, Oliver Davidson, Jasper Davidson, Michael English, Zainullah Ihsan, Jack Jarvis, Michael Jones, Ollie Jones, Finlay McCreath, Brandon McMullen, George Munsey, Lyle Robertson, Safyaan Sharif, Mark Watt. **UAE:** Harpreet Singh Bhatia (c), Aayan Afzal Khan, Adeeb Usmani, Akshdeep Nath, Aryansh Sharma, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Arfan, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Shahdad, Muhammad Mohsin, Rahul Chopra, Simranjeet Singh, Sohaib Khan, Tanish Suri. **Canada:** Saad Bin Zafar (c), Aaron Johnson, Anoop Chima, Ali Khan, Ansh Patel, Harsh Thaker, Mathew Spoorts, Meet Patel, Pargat Singh, Sana Kaleem, Shreyas Movva, Shivam Sharma, Yuvraaj Samra, Zahid Ullah Shirzad, Nicholas Kirton. ### What's at Stake Over the Next Ten Days The tri-series runs over the next ten days, and every result will shape the closing stages of the League 2 standings. For Scotland, it's about finishing the job. For UAE and Canada, it's about making a late surge and shaking up the table. One thing's for sure: this isn't just another set of matches. The World Cup Qualifier field is on the line, and every ball bowled matters. Whether you're a die-hard cricket fan or just tuning in to see who rises to the occasion, this series has all the ingredients for a memorable showdown.