Scotland debut girls' choir anthem ahead of T20 World Cup grudge vs Ireland in 2026

Scotland will use a girls' choir's rendition of Flower of Scotland as their anthem during the 2026 T20 World Cup, marking a first for the team.

New anthem ahead of clash Flower of Scotland carries weight as a timeless anthem, though it was written in the 1960s and traditionally performed by pipers or boys' choirs at sports events. The tune has now been re-recorded by a girls' choir from George Watson's College, an institution with strong ties to Scottish sports stars. Notable alumni include rugby union's Hastings brothers and cricket stars like the Bryce sisters and rising talent Gabriella Fontenla. This version will serve as Scotland's anthem throughout the upcoming T20 World Cup. ## Players react to homegrown anthem Chloe Abel, a fast bowler born in Tasmania, expressed excitement about the new anthem during a pre-match press briefing. "It's a really cool relationship that we have with Watson College. So to expand on that, and have the girls sing the anthem, is going to be super special," she said. Abel, who splits her year between nursing in Hobart and cricket, credits her Scottish heritage through her Glaswegian mother for her strong sense of pride. Her love for representing Scotland is personal, extending beyond her family. "My 85-year-old granny's coming down for the first three games," she shared. "And it's an absolute privilege to wear the thistle with pride and not represent just my mum and my granny, but also myself." ## Scotland’s home advantage Abel is the sole Scotland player not competing in England during the northern hemisphere summer, giving her deep familiarity with the conditions ahead of the tournament. This comfort translates into confidence, with Abel describing the setup as "feels a bit like home and is probably the closest to a home World Cup we're going to get." Scotland enters the event on a high note, having won a recent home tri-series that included their first-ever victory over Bangladesh. Their momentum continues against Ireland, whom they’ve beaten in three of their last five encounters, including two crucial T20 World Cup qualifier wins. ## Ireland eyes redemption in rivalry Ireland holds a historical edge in the Scotland rivalry, leading 9-6 in their 15 meetings. However, Scotland has claimed the last three contests, including two wins in T20 World Cup qualifiers that eliminated Ireland from the 2024 tournament. Ireland captain Gaby Lewis dismissed any notion of revenge. "You don't come to World Cups to lose games," she stated. "As a squad, we're very confident. In the last couple of years, we've had some really good results against top-ranked teams, and now it's just about doing it at a World Cup." ## Ireland’s professional rise Ireland has transformed from an amateur setup to a fully professional team over recent years. Lewis highlighted the shift: "There's been some massive changes in our whole programme, in terms of when I first started and it was amateur. Now we're lucky enough to be fully professional, we're able to train every day, not have to work day-jobs, and things like that. There's no doubt that has had an impact on our performances on the pitch." The team’s belief has grown, especially heading into their second T20 World Cup. ## World Cup drought fuels focus Despite their progress, Ireland remains winless at T20 World Cups after four tournaments and 17 matches. Lewis acknowledged the pressure but stressed the team’s readiness. "We definitely have more belief going into this World Cup than we did going into the one in South Africa," she said. Concerns about unrest in Belfast have added to the challenges, with Cricket Ireland monitoring the volatile situation. ## Local turmoil casts shadow Recent anti-migration riots in Belfast have raised concerns among the Irish squad, particularly for players like Amy Hunter and Cara Murray who hail from Northern Ireland. "We have a couple of girls from up north and it's definitely a worry for a number of the girls," Lewis admitted. "We hope that everyone is safe and that it's under control. We'll remain focused on this tournament but we're devastated to hear what's happening up north, and I wish everyone a safe recovery." ## Scotland’s big stage ambitions Scotland is eager to challenge Ireland on the world stage, aiming to make an impression with their personalized anthem. Abel emphasized the significance of the tournament for Scotland. "I know the Football World Cup is pretty big, but this is still really big for us in Scotland," she said. "We're a small nation with a small talent pool, but we can play some really, really good cricket." The team hopes to steal attention from Scotland’s football squad, set to make their first World Cup appearance in 36 years with a match against Haiti early Sunday.