World T20 is shop window for Scotland - Preston Mommsen
Last updated on .From the section Cricket
Scotland players are "one outstanding performance away from changing lives" at the World Twenty20 in India next month, says captain Preston Mommsen.
They open the preliminary round against Afghanistan on 8 March and also face Zimbabwe and Hong Kong.
The winner of the group will progress to the main phase of the tournament.
"It is absolutely a shop window for us," said Mommsen. "If we can put on a stand-out display, it could open a whole host of opportunities."
Scotland have missed the past three World T20s, having featured in the inaugural competition in 2007 and again in 2009, without winning a game.
But Mommsen is confident his team can do well in India and catch the eye of a global audience.
'Sky's the limit'
"I know it's a cliche, but the sky is the limit for our guys," said Mommsen, who had a spell at Leicestershire.
"From country cricket to playing T20 in tournaments right around the world, those are real opportunities for most of us.
"We've spoken about that as a group and it's very exciting for us. Hopefully it inspires us to play even better cricket."
Scotland have never beaten a Test-playing nation and head coach Grant Bradburn was frustrated to return from last year's World Cup with six defeats from six matches.
Bradburn's men pushed Bangladesh by scoring more than 300 and squandered a glorious chance to beat fellow associate members Afghanistan, who recovered from 97-7 to win with three balls to spare.
'More mature side'
"To get out of the group, we need to win three games of cricket," said New Zealander Bradburn.
"That's the task if we want to get through to the next phase and take on the full-member nations, but it's also the plan.
"The 50-over World Cup last year was of huge benefit to us last year. We were absolutely gutted not to come back with a victory or two.
"We saw the door of victory ajar against Afghanistan but were not good enough to walk through it.
"However, we came back from that tournament hugely excited because we saw where we needed to be and, for me as a coach, that made it easier to instil the changes we needed to make.
"We've done that and we're a much more mature side since the World Cup. We feel the floodgates could open now."
Scotland squad for ICC World Twenty20: Preston Mommsen (capt), Kyle Coetzer (vice-capt), Alasdair Evans, Calum MacLeod, Con de Lange, Gavin Main, George Munsey, Josh Davey, Mark Watt, Matt Machan, Matthew Cross, Michael Leask, Richie Berrington, Rob Taylor, Safyaan Sharif.
