KOLKATA: Zainullah Ihsan could not keep his phone down when Scotland replaced Bangladesh in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. The 19-year-old Afghanistan-born pacer had moved to Scotland only in 2022 and is yet to make his senior team debut. Given all that, he did not even expect a selection, yet he was hoping for a call.
"My coach called and told me that I have been selected for the World Cup. I was shocked, and I couldn't say anything. I just thanked him," says Ihsan on the sidelines of Scotland's training session ahead of their opening game against the West Indies on Saturday.
When he arrived in Glasgow as a 15-year-old, after leaving Afghanistan two years earlier, playing in a World Cup for Scotland was not even in his wildest dreams. He had played tape ball cricket back home in the streets and had continued to play with his brother and kids in the Afghan refugee community in Scotland. That is when his brother's friend was impressed and took him to the GHK Cricket Club. It did not take long for Ihsan to make heads turn. "I told the coach that I have never bowled with a cricket ball before. They gave me a free club membership and took care of me," he recalls.
From thereon, there was no looking back as he ran through batting line-ups for fun and rose through the ranks. Scotland age-group teams and A-team call-ups happened, but he missed the cut-off for the 2026 U19 World Cup. That, in hindsight, came as a blessing in disguise as Ihsan is now at the Eden Gardens, expected to make his international debut in a World Cup.
The interesting aspect about Ihsan, who pursues a degree in English, is that he did not tell his parents — who live in Afghanistan — about his cricket till he played for Scotland A. "They asked me why I didn't tell them. I told them that I am a professional cricketer now. It was emotional, but they told me to work hard and pursue my dream," says Ihsan.
He missed the warm-up game against Afghanistan but was able to catch up with a few Afghan stars and pick the minds of Mohammad Nabi and Hamid Hassan. For all the hardships he has faced over the last few years, it comes as no surprise that Ihsan believes that he will have to make his own destiny. "Kismat Kudh banta hai (he smiles). For God to give you kismat, you have to work hard, then you make something of yourself," he says.