Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has officially replaced Bangladesh with Scotland for the ICC men’s T20 World Cup 2026, according to a report from Cricbuzz. The tournament is scheduled to begin on February 7 in India and Sri Lanka. With the decision now confirmed, Scotland will compete in Group C, alongside Italy, Nepal, West Indies, and England. Scotland step in as the best-qualified associate nation from northwestern Europe, ending weeks of uncertainty around Bangladesh’s participation.
The move follows Bangladesh’s continued refusal to travel to India for the tournament. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had earlier asked the ICC to shift its matches to Sri Lanka, citing “security and safety concerns.” The ICC rejected the request after independent security assessments found no direct threat and rated the overall risk in India as low to moderate.Communication between the ICC and Cricket Scotland had been ongoing for several days before the final decision. During that period, there was confusion over whether Bangladesh might reconsider its stance.The ICC had warned of strict action if Bangladesh refused to tour India. ICC Chairman Jay Shah, who was in Dubai to take a final call, has now overseen the formal replacement.Tensions between the two boards had risen after IPL side Kolkata Knight Riders released Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman amid political concerns. Soon after, the BCB intensified its safety objections.Despite ICC assurances, BCB President Aminul Islam remained defiant. He said, “We want to play the World Cup, but we won’t play in India. We will keep fighting.” He also added, “ICC had denied us our request to shift our matches away from India.”Bangladesh’s Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul echoed the stance, saying, “ICC has failed to convince us on the security question.”With the ICC’s decision now final, Bangladesh are out of the 2026 T20 World Cup, and Scotland will take their place.
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