Scotland left-arm spinner Mark Watt on Friday said he feels for the Bangladesh players who missed out on the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup due to their government’s decision not to travel to India. However, the experienced bowler stressed that Scotland fully deserved their late inclusion in the tournament and are capable of pulling off surprise victories against higher-ranked teams.
Scotland were drafted into the competition at the eleventh hour after the ICC decided to replace Bangladesh, who withdrew citing security concerns. Watt said there was no doubt within the Scottish camp about their right to be part of the global event.
‘No Second Guessing Our Place Here’
“We’re very sympathetic towards the Bangladesh players,” Watt said ahead of Scotland’s Group C opener against the West Indies at Eden Gardens on Saturday.
“But we still massively believe that we should be here, and we believe that we can be beating teams higher ranked than us. So there’s no second guessing our invite into this tournament. We’re all ready to go,” added the 33-year-old, who has represented Scotland in 77 T20 Internationals.
Bangladesh Withdrawal and ICC Decision
Bangladesh were ousted from the tournament after refusing to travel to India, citing security concerns. The situation escalated following political tensions, which Bangladesh linked to developments involving India, including the release of KKR pacer Mustafizur Rahman from his IPL contract after directions from the BCCI.
Following Bangladesh’s withdrawal, the ICC moved swiftly to bring Scotland into the tournament to ensure competitive balance and adherence to the tournament schedule.
Last-Minute Entry, High Motivation
Watt admitted that Scotland’s sudden inclusion meant hurried preparations, but said the squad had embraced the opportunity with enthusiasm—especially the younger players.
“We’ve got a lot of youngsters in the team at the moment, and how more excited can they be? Ten days ago they were sitting and doing nothing, now they’re here in India playing in a World Cup. It’s absolutely amazing for them,” he said.
The spinner added that the entire squad is energized and focused on making an impact despite the unusual circumstances surrounding their entry.
Scotland Eye Strong Start Against West Indies
Scotland will kick off their campaign against the West Indies, aiming to make a positive start and build momentum in Group C. With nothing to lose and a point to prove, Watt believes his side can challenge established teams on the big stage.
“We’re all so excited to be here and ready to go,” he concluded.