Scotland have been forced into a late change for the Women’s T20 World Cup after leg-spinner Abtaha Maqsood broke her right hand in the final warm-up against Pakistan on Tuesday. The 25-year-old, already the country’s leading wicket-taker in the format, will take no further part in the tournament.
In her place comes Hannah Rainey, the medium-pacer currently turning out for Yorkshire in the Vitality Blast. She is expected to link up with the squad in Cape Town in time for Saturday’s opener against Ireland.
Maqsood’s record – 73 wickets at 17.72, economy 5.63 – underlines the size of the hole Scotland now have to plug. Head coach Craig Wallace did not hide his disappointment: “The whole playing squad and coaching staff are absolutely gutted for Abtaha,” he said. “She’s such an important member of our squad and will be a great loss to us both on and off the pitch during this tournament. We wish her all the very best in her recovery and hope to see her back on the field soon.”
Wallace added that Rainey’s arrival offers experience at short notice. “Hannah now comes into the squad, and we are delighted to welcome her into the group,” he said. “She obviously has plenty of experience, and this is a great opportunity for her as we head into an exciting few weeks.”
Rainey last played T20I cricket in 2025, taking her tally to 25 wickets from 41 matches at 5.39 runs per over – tidy numbers, if not quite Maqsood’s strike rate. How quickly she settles could shape Scotland’s campaign; powerplay control is often decisive in South African conditions.
Team-mate Chloe Abel admitted the news hit hard. “Pretty shocking news for the whole team to take,” the seamer said. “Abtaha is a big part of our team, not only from a performance point of view but also from a values point of view. Tough for her and we hope she’ll be able to stick around and watch some cricket.”
Scotland now have two training sessions to re-draw their bowling plans. It’s hardly ideal preparation, yet tournaments rarely run to script, and Rainey’s steady seam could still give them a fighting chance of progressing beyond the group stage.
