Kyle Coetzer to step down as Scotland skipper

Coetzer's final outing as skipper will come against the UAE in Texas on June 3, his 110th match at the helm

Kyle Coetzer will step down as Scotland skipper after 110 matches at the helm.

The 38-year-old will make his final appearance as captain during Scotland's ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 tri-series clash against the UAE in Texas on June 3.

Since making his debut for Scotland in August 2008, Coetzer has made 72 ODI and 70 T20I appearances, scoring 4,362 runs and taking six wickets.

Counting all of his appearances for Scotland, he is the country's third-most capped player, with 213 matches under his belt, and possesses numerous records as a player, including most ODI runs (2,867) and most wins as captain.

Coetzer was crowned the ICC men's associate player of the decade in 2020 and captained Scotland to the Super 12 stage of the 2021 T20 World Cup.

^{Kyle Coetzer batting at the 2021 T20 World Cup [Alex Davidson/Getty Images]}

Commenting on his decision to stand down, Coetzer said: "I have thought long and hard about my decision to step down as captain of the Scotland men's side and have decided this test against the UAE will be my last at the helm.

"It's been an absolute pleasure to lead this group through various stages in our growth and development and captain my country and I will look back on the time with such fondness. I'm extremely proud of where we have got to and I'm even more excited with where this team can go to under its next leader.

"It's been fantastic to see how the players are managing themselves on the field recently and to effectively have more than one leader out there has been a really positive and encouraging sign for me. It was this that made me feel it was the right time to share my decision and step down.

"I'm so grateful to have been able to impact this group of players and help Scotland through this phase of cricket that I've been involved in. I've certainly given it my all and I hope the players and fans also feel it's been a positive experience. Although part of me is sad to be stepping down, I'm happy with where the team currently sits and I'm full of anticipation about what’s to come next for us all.

"My biggest driving force over the years has been to help the team have everything they need and lead them in every way I can. Moving forward I have no desire to stop playing and will be giving everything I have to my fellow players and the next captain – going out and scoring as many runs as I possibly can for Scotland remains the focus.

^{Kyle Coetzer celebrates scoring a century against Bangladesh at the 2015 World Cup [Hannah Peters/Getty Images]}

"We have one more game in the USA and I plan to get my head down and try to enjoy the occasion. We've still got points to pick up in the next couple of series and heading towards the World Cup qualifier, we want to ensure we achieve automatic qualification for the qualifying tournament, which is a real motivation for me.

"I'm extremely proud and thankful for all the efforts of my teammates and everyone who has helped me along the way. It's been a great journey so far and there's going to be some more exciting cricket to play yet."

Cricket Scotland Interim Head of Performance Toby Bailey added: "On behalf of all of Cricket Scotland, the coaching staff, men's team and Scottish cricketing community, I'd like to extend a huge thank you to Kyle for all he has done during his time as captain. An incredible leader and cricketing talent, Kyle has made an unforgettable contribution to the game in Scotland, helping the team progress over the years and inspiring others.

"The captaincy is a fantastic opportunity for one of the leading lights in Scottish cricket to step up and take this team forward into an exciting new era for the sport in Scotland and I have no doubt there is a very capable new leader among them. We are all looking forward to seeing what Kyle continues to do on the field as a player and wish him all the very best for this next chapter."

Coetzer's successor will be appointed ahead of Scotland’s series against Namibia and Nepal, which is scheduled for July.