The International Cricket Council (ICC) has officially replaced Bangladesh with Scotland in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, following Bangladesh’s decision not to travel to India due to security concerns.
Scotland will now compete in Group C alongside Italy, Nepal, West Indies, and England.
The situation traces back to early January 2026, when the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) requested the ICC to move its T20 World Cup matches from India to Sri Lanka, citing player safety, following KKR’s release of Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their squad under BCCI directives.
The ICC rejected the request, prompting Bangladesh to send a second letter, again insisting that their team would not play in India.
Bangladesh’s Sports Adviser, Asif Nazrul, confirmed the decision, explaining that the government prioritized player safety.
“The security situation in India remains unchanged. Our concerns stemmed from a real incident. The Indian board, under pressure, could not provide adequate protection for one of our cricketers,” he said.
BCB President Aminul Islam echoed the stance, stating, “We will go back to the ICC with our plan to play in Sri Lanka. They gave us a 24-hour ultimatum, but the decision not to go to India was made at the government level.”
Despite discussions with players, the final decision rested with the board and the government.
Bangladesh had been scheduled to play its first three Group C matches in Kolkata against West Indies (February 7), Italy (February 9), and England (February 14), before concluding against Nepal in Mumbai on February 17.
With no compromise reached, the ICC has now confirmed that Scotland will replace Bangladesh in the tournament.
The T20 World Cup 2026 will continue as scheduled from February 7 to March 8, with matches in India and Sri Lanka.
This marks a historic moment for Scotland, as they step into a major ICC tournament on short notice.
--Agencies
