Scotland and Denmark will face each other in the 16th match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier 2023 at the Grange Cricket Club, Edinburgh, on Thursday, 27 July 2023. The match will start at 10:30 AM local time and will be streamed live on ICC TV. This is a vital game for both teams as they aim to secure a spot in the next round of the qualification process for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2023.
Scotland: The favourites to top the group
Scotland are the favourites to win the Europe Qualifier and advance to the Global Qualifier, which will be held in Zimbabwe in October 2023. They have won all their four matches so far, beating Italy, Germany, Jersey and Austria with convincing margins. They have a strong batting line-up, led by opener Oliver Hairs, who has scored 204 runs in four innings at a strike rate of 212.50. He smashed a brilliant 127 off 53 balls against Italy, the highest individual score of the tournament. He is well supported by Richie Berrington, George Munsey and Michael Leask, who have all scored half-centuries in the competition.
Scotland also have a potent bowling attack, with left-arm spinner Mark Watt leading the wicket-takers’ list with six scalps in four games. He has an economy rate of just 4.33 and has taken two four-wicket hauls, against Jersey and Germany. He is ably assisted by fast bowlers Safyaan Sharif, Gavin Main and Bradley Currie, who have all taken five wickets each. Scotland have been clinical in their performances and will look to continue their winning momentum against Denmark.
Denmark: The surprise package of the tournament
Denmark have been the surprise package of the tournament, as they have won two out of their three matches and are currently second in the points table. They beat Austria by 47 runs in their opening game, thanks to a four-wicket haul by Nicolaj Laegsgaard and a half-century by Saif Ahmad. They then lost to Germany by six wickets, despite scoring 186 for seven in their 20 overs. However, they bounced back with a stunning seven-wicket win over Ireland, chasing down 179 with five balls to spare. Ahmad was again the star of the show, scoring an unbeaten 53 off 41 balls and taking one wicket.
Denmark have a balanced team, with some experienced players and some young talents. Ahmad is their leading run-scorer with 106 runs in three innings at an average of 53. He is also their joint leading wicket-taker with four wickets at an economy rate of 6.83. He is joined by Taranjit Singh Bharaj, who has scored 55 runs and taken three catches as a wicket-keeper. Abdul Hashmi and Rizwan Mahmood are also capable batsmen who can score quickly. On the bowling front, Denmark have Laegsgaard, Abdullah Mahmood and Saud Munir as their main weapons. Laegsgaard has taken four wickets at an average of 9.75 and an economy rate of 6.50. Mahmood has also taken four wickets at an average of 14.50 and an economy rate of 7.25. Munir has taken three wickets at an average of 20.67 and an economy rate of 8.
Denmark have shown that they can compete with the best teams in Europe and will not be intimidated by Scotland’s reputation. They will hope to pull off another upset and boost their chances of qualifying for the next stage.
What to expect from the match
The match between Scotland and Denmark promises to be a high-scoring affair, as both teams have powerful hitters in their ranks. The pitch at Edinburgh is expected to be flat and good for batting, with some assistance for the spinners as well. The weather forecast is sunny and warm, with no chances of rain interrupting the game.
Scotland will start as the favourites, given their unbeaten run and superior net run rate. They have a more experienced and settled side than Denmark, who are relatively new to this level of cricket. However, Denmark have shown that they can punch above their weight and challenge any team on their day. They will need to play out of their skins to beat Scotland, who are one of the strongest Associate teams in the world.
This match will be crucial for both teams, as it will decide their fate in the group stage. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals, where they will face the top two teams from Group B (Ireland, Germany, Italy or Jersey). The winners of the semi-finals will secure their spots in the Global Qualifier, while the losers will play a third-place playoff to determine the third team to qualify. The fourth team will be eliminated from the qualification process.
This match will also have implications for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2023, which will be held in Australia from October 18 to November 15, 2023. The top six teams from the Global Qualifier will join the 10 Full Members and four other Associate teams (Namibia, Netherlands, Oman and Papua New Guinea) in the main event. The bottom four teams from the Global Qualifier will join eight other Associate teams (Bermuda, Canada, Hong Kong, Nepal, Singapore, Uganda, USA and Zimbabwe) in the First Round, where they will compete for four spots in the Super 12 stage.
This match is therefore a golden opportunity for both Scotland and Denmark to take a step closer to their dream of playing in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2023. It will be a thrilling contest between two teams who have shown great skill and spirit in this tournament. It will be a match that cricket fans should not miss.
