Scotland's T20 World Cup Coaching Team Announced by Head Coach Owen Dawkins

Scotland men's head coach Owen Dawkins has confirmed the coaching and support staff for the upcoming ICC Men's T20 World Cup in India. The backroom team was put together rapidly following Scotland's late invitation to the tournament just ten days ago. The group includes assistant coach Gordon Drummond, spin specialist Moneeb Iqbal, and fielding coach Paul Tweddle, who brings experience from Somerset's T20 Blast victories. The support staff features Dr. Raj McRea-Routray, physio Gary Metcalfe, and team manager Fiona Rae, who are joining from other international cricket duties.

Key Points: Scotland T20 World Cup 2026 Coaching Staff Confirmed

  • Coaching team assembled at short notice
  • Spin Coach Moneeb Iqbal returns from 2024 WC
  • Fielding coach Paul Tweddle brings Somerset success
  • Support staff arrive from other global tournaments
3 min read

T20 World Cup 2026: Scotland head coach confirm team and support staff

Head Coach Owen Dawkins announces Scotland's backroom team for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in India, assembled at short notice.

"I'm delighted to confirm the Scotland coaching team for this T20 World Cup campaign. - Owen Dawkins"

New Delhi, Feb 2

Scotland men's head coach Owen Dawkins on Monday confirmed his coaching team and support staff for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in India.

Dawkins and men's assistant coach Gordon Drummond, who were both appointed in December 2025, will be assisted by Moneeb Iqbal, Paul Tweddle and Zac Bess during the tournament in India.

Dr Raj McRea-Routray (Doctor), Gary Metcalfe (Physio) and Fiona Rae (Team Manager) complete a backroom team that was put together at short notice following Scotland's invitation to compete at the tournament ten days ago.

Iqbal is a former Scotland international and will be Spin Coach at a second successive Men's T20 World Cup, having been part of the coaching team for the 2024 tournament in the West Indies and USA.

Tweddle is Somerset's fielding and assistant coach and was part of the coaching team that guided the county to T20 Blast success in 2023 and 2025. He has also served as interim head coach at Taunton and worked with England Lions at international level.

Bess will act as strength and conditioning coach, a role he currently fulfils with Nottinghamshire. He previously worked with Worcestershire and also has experience of franchise cricket with Trent Rockets in The Hundred.

Owen Dawkins, Scotland Head Coach, said, "I'm delighted to confirm the Scotland coaching team for this T20 World Cup campaign. Given the extremely short notice we had to build a staff for the tournament, it was important for us to build provide a staff with a number of different experiences to work alongside Gordon and myself, and it's great to see we've assembled a high-quality group.

"Moneeb and Paul both bring huge value in their different areas. Moneeb has good awareness of much of the playing squad having worked with them across the last few years including at the last World Cup in the Caribbean.

"Paul brings great experience at success from his time at Somerset and having previously toured with England. I'm excited to have him lead on our fielding during the tour and know the players will gain lots from him, but alongside this he will add across all the skill sets.

"Our support staff have been operating at high level at some time, with Gary having come straight from the Men's U19 World Cup in Zimbabwe, while Raj was also there, before heading home to help continue our preparations for this tour.

"Fiona is arriving straight from Nepal where she's been managing the women's squad at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier and brings great tournament experience working in both cricket and rugby. While she concludes her responsibilities in Nepal, our Head of Communications is managing the early part of our tour until her arrival, and it's this flexibility with all our staff that will help us be successful as a squad.

"I am very grateful to everyone who managed to rearrange so much to make themselves available at such short notice, and particularly Steve Snell our Head of Performance who has pulled everything together so quickly to ensure our players have excellent all-round support here in India, for what is an exciting time ahead of us."

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Assembling a team at such short notice is impressive. Shows good management. I remember Scotland giving some big teams a scare in the past. With this coaching setup, maybe they can cause an upset or two. All the best to them!
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Rohit P
Honestly, with the amount of cricket happening, it's hard to keep track of all teams and staff announcements. But it's good for the global game. Hope the tournament is well organized and safe for everyone.
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Sarah B
The diversity in their support staff is nice to see - from a doctor with an Indian-sounding name (Dr. Raj) to experience from The Hundred and county cricket. This mix could be their secret weapon. Looking forward to seeing them play.
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Vikram M
Moneeb Iqbal as spin coach is a smart move for Indian conditions. But let's be real, the gap between associate nations and top teams is huge. I appreciate the effort, but wish the article focused more on the players' preparation than just the staff.
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Kavya N
Fiona Rae managing both cricket and rugby squads back-to-back? That's some serious multi-tasking! 🏏⚽ More power to her. Hope the team has a great time in India and enjoys our hospitality.

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