Scott Currie was listed as a substitute on an official England teamsheet vs Ireland, which counts as representation under ICC rules
That triggers a mandatory three-year stand-down period before he can switch back to Scotland
As a result, he remains ineligible for Scotland selection until September 2028
Scotland’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad announcement raised eyebrows when fast bowler Scott Currie was missing, despite being one of the country’s most promising white-ball bowlers.
At first glance it looked odd, Currie has played for Scotland before, including three ODIs in early 2024, and many expected him to be spearheading their attack. However, eligibility rules meant he simply couldn’t be selected this time. The reason centres on a quirky application of ICC eligibility regulations.
How ICC Eligibility Rules Blocked Currie’s Scotland Return
In September 2025, Currie was called into the England squad for their T20I series against Ireland as an injury replacement. He didn’t play a match or win an official England cap, but he was listed on the official teamsheet as a substitute fielder for one of those games.
According to the ICC’s Player Eligibility Regulations, that appearance on a teamsheet counts as participation. Because of this, Currie is now treated as having “represented” England for eligibility purposes, even without taking the field.
Under ICC rules, a player mapped to one national team must satisfy a three-year stand-down period before becoming eligible to represent another member if they are considered to have participated (even as a non-playing substitute) for the first team.
Currie’s listing with England triggered that clause, making him ineligible to play for Scotland until September 2028, three years after that teamsheet appearance. This is why Scotland simply could not name him in their T20 World Cup squad despite his clear talent and prior performances.
Scotland's Squad for T20 World Cup 2026
Losing Currie was a blow to Scotland’s squad depth, especially with him being one of their leading modern T20 performers. Nevertheless, Scotland went ahead and named a competitive 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup, which they entered after replacing Bangladesh in Group C of the tournament following Bangladesh’s withdrawal over venue concerns.
Scotland's T20 World Cup 2026 Squad: Richie Berrington, 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.
Travelling reserves: Jasper Davidson, Jack Jarvis, Non-travelling reserves: Mackenzie Jones, Chris McBride, Charlie Tear.
