Scotland were invited only days ago after Bangladesh refused to play in India and the ICC declined to relocate fixtures to Sri Lanka.
“We certainly have for the Bangladesh team,” Trudy Lindblade, Cricket Scotland's Australian chief executive, said on Monday, when asked if she had sympathy for the side they had replaced.
“Obviously, this is not how we wanted to go to a World Cup. There is a qualification process and nobody wants to qualify or attend or be invited to a World Cup in the way that we have done. We acknowledge it is certainly unique circumstances by our participation, and we do feel for the Bangladesh players.”
Lindblade stressed that Scotland did not seek a “back-door” entry and accepted that criticism was inevitable.
“I wouldn't use those words… People will have their views and they are entitled to their views. All we know is that we have been invited to participate in the World Cup.”
She added that Scotland, ranked 14th, believed they deserved respect despite the manner of qualification.
With just days to prepare, Scotland are scrambling to organise visas, travel and squad selection, while balancing other international commitments. Despite limited preparation, the team believes the pressure lies elsewhere.
“The pressure will be on the other teams to beat us, really,” head of performance Steve Snell said, as Scotland target a competitive campaign after narrowly missing the Super 8s at the 2024 T20 World Cup.
