Scotland coach Shane Burger is confident that his team will execute their strategies effectively on Friday to upstage their opponents Zimbabwe and advance to the Super 12 stage of the tournament for the second consecutive time in as many editions. Scotland took inspiration from their shocking 42-run victory over West Indies in their opening Group B match in the first round of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

“We are certain that if we play our game and don’t pay too much attention to the opposition, we can defeat any team. Recently, we did so in opposition to the two-time world champions (West Indies). So if we carry out as we know how, hopefully it will have an impact on the Zimbabwean team. More pressure can be applied to them, “Burger stated during the pre-game press conference.

The duo of Curtis Campher (72 not out) and George Dockrell (39 not out) launched a counter-attacking match-winning stand of 119 to chase down 176, which at 61/4 looked highly improbable after ten overs. After the victory over West Indies, Scotland was well on their way to getting another win against Ireland.

“After the game, the disappointment was evident (against Ireland). There were numerous moments, not just one. Perspective is a wonderful thing. We are not accustomed to encountering those circumstances frequently as a Scottish team. The boys’ behaviour both on and off the field has made me tremendously pleased. The events of yesterday will teach us a lot “Burger remarked.

In spite of losing to Ireland, Scotland did have one bright spot with to youthful opener Michael Jones, who scored an impressive 86 off just 55 balls while also single-handedly holding the innings together with six fours and four sixes at a high strike rate of 156.36.

“Michael has integrated quite well into the team. Even though many people might not be familiar with his name, he has been a member of the team for a while. He didn’t appear in many Scotland games (till now). We always recognised his talent, therefore we thought he would succeed eventually.”

“Certainly, there were hints of that (during the match). We are aware of his desire to keep improving. He is a fantastic cricketer with exceptional abilities. He played brilliantly yesterday, but it’s too bad we weren’t able to secure the victory “Burger came to an end.