Scotland will be heading into their sixth T20 World Cup with a blend of experience and youthful exuberance, hoping to continue their track record of a blockbuster opening fixture and, perhaps, take a step further this time.

India will have to set aside all the chatter regarding a few of their star names and get behind one common idea of winning the T20 World Cup if they are to quench their thirst for a first major trophy in white-ball cricket since their 2013 Champions Trophy triumph.

While the exclusion of Jan Nicol Loftie Eaton from the T20 World Cup squad has grabbed the headlines, there are plenty of big names in the Namibia squad.

Lately, things have been a bit unsettling for Pakistan, runners-up of the last T20 World Cup in 2022 in Australia and champions of the 2009 edition.

One could be fooled into predicting New Zealand’s fate in this World Cup based on their record since the last edition -- 16 wins in 34 matches -- as the Black Caps have, time and again, brought their prime version in mega events.

The T20 World Cup is a familiar platform for Ireland --one of the two newest entrants in the ICC full members list alongside Afghanistan.

There is no room for bummer this summer as co-hosts West Indies prepare to set aside their miseries of the past two editions. Instead, as the two-time champions and the first to achieve the feat, the Men in Maroon will be inclined to seek inspiration from past successes.

Canada’s cricket scene is buzzing with excitement as they gear up for their historic debut at the T20 World Cup. This is a monumental achievement, marking a turning point for their developing cricket programme.

The fact that Afghanistan have had nine players in teams’ rosters for the Indian Premier League this season speaks volumes about the reputation of Afghan individuals as well as Afghanistan as a team in Twenty20 cricket. To put this into perspective, that number is more than Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and on par with New Zealand and West Indies -- the latter two regarded as powerhouses in all forms of cricket.

If for nothing else, there will be a lot of focus on USA for being the co-hosts of the global T20 tournament for the first time. And they would be undoubtedly willing to make a mark on their home soil, in front of the home crowd regardless.

Uganda qualifying for the ICC T20 World Cup might have been an upset, but it definitely wasn’t an accident.

Oman’s cricketing journey in the T20 World Cup began in 2016 and they co-hosted the 2021 edition with the UAE. However, their qualification bid fell short in 2022, as they finished fourth in the qualifiers.

Papua New Guinea (PNG) are back in the T20 World Cup after a one-edition absence. They dominated in the East Asia-Pacific Qualifier, winning all six matches on home soil.

In the truest sense, Australia have conquered the game of cricket.

Under the guidance of a young Najmul Hossain Shanto and with some exciting weapons in their arsenal, Bangladesh will hope to re-write their record in T20 World Cups heading into the ninth edition of the mega event. 

South Africa’s cricket team embodies immense talent and potential, yet since re-instatement into international cricket, they have always fallen short of winning trophies. Despite fielding powerful squads and entering tournaments as favorites, they’ve consistently earned the unenviable title of “chokers.”

From the Netherlands pulling off a heist against England to India producing a memorable win against arch-rivals Pakistan on the back of a Virat Kohli masterclass, the T20 World Cup has witnessed the impossible.

In T20Is, Scotland hold a 100 percent win record over Bangladesh, West Indies, and five other teams.

Pakistan are placed alongside India, co-hosts United States, Canada and Ireland in Group A. The top two teams will qualify for the next round of Super Eight, to be held in the West Indies with the final in Barbados on June 29.

Bangladesh will take on the USA in their first World Cup warm-up match at Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas on Tuesday, hoping for a drastic turnaround in form following their series loss against the same opposition in Houston.