The International Cricket Council has officially removed Bangladesh from the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, replacing them with Scotland after a prolonged standoff over security concerns and travel to India, as per an Indian website's report.
The webiste claims that Scotland have been formally included in the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, scheduled to begin on February 7 across India and Sri Lanka. The decision, first reported by Cricbuzz, came after the ICC’s dispute committee rejected Bangladesh’s request to alter match venues.
Scotland have been placed in Group C, which also includes West Indies, England, Italy, and Nepal.
Bangladesh replaced after ultimatum
According to sources, the ICC had issued the Bangladesh Cricket Board a 24-hour ultimatum earlier this week, warning of consequences if demands deemed inconsistent with ICC policy were not withdrawn.
On Saturday, ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta formally informed the ICC Board that the BCB had failed to comply with a binding decision, leaving no option but to replace Bangladesh with Scotland. The letter was also marked to BCB president Aminul Islam, an ICC Board member.
At the same time, the ICC sent a formal invitation to Cricket Scotland, confirming the associate nation’s entry into the tournament. While Cricket Scotland CEO Trudy Lindblade did not immediately comment, sources said communications between Dubai and Edinburgh began early Saturday, signalling the decision was already being implemented.
Why Scotland were chosen
Scotland’s selection is based on consistent performances in recent ICC events and their current No 14 world ranking. In the 2024 T20 World Cup, they finished third in Group B on equal points with England, missing qualification only on net run rate.
They also recorded notable wins in earlier tournaments, including a famous victory over West Indies in 2022 and topping their group in 2021 after defeating Bangladesh.
Scotland will open their World Cup campaign against West Indies in Kolkata on February 7. They will then face Italy on February 9, England on February 14, and Nepal in Mumbai on February 17.
Under the original schedule, Bangladesh were also placed in Group C and were due to play matches in Kolkata and Mumbai, including fixtures at Eden Gardens and the Wankhede Stadium.
Security concerns at heart of dispute
Bangladesh’s removal follows its refusal to travel to India, citing security concerns. Despite multiple discussions, the BCB maintained that participation in India was not an option, a stance confirmed publicly by Aminul Islam and Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul.
The ICC initially sought to accommodate Bangladesh’s concerns, commissioning an independent security assessment that rated the threat level as low to moderate. The ICC delegation also visited Dhaka, but no breakthrough was achieved.
The ICC informed Bangladesh that failure to confirm participation by January 21 would result in replacement by the next-best-ranked team. After further meetings and a final 24-hour extension, the ICC confirmed that the schedule would not be changed.
Sources said that the ICC formally notified the BCB of its removal and simultaneously informed Scotland of their inclusion, completing all formalities.
Background to standoff
The dispute traces back to the release of Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL by Kolkata Knight Riders, despite being picked for INR 9.20 crore. The decision, taken at the BCCI’s request amid developments in Bangladesh, escalated tensions.
In response, the BCB repeatedly asked the ICC to shift Bangladesh’s matches to Sri Lanka. The ICC declined, leading to the unprecedented decision to eject Bangladesh from a global cricket event for the first time.
Following the decision, a Bangladesh Cricket Board meeting began to consider the future course of action. Bangladesh’s exit marks one of the most dramatic pre-tournament developments in ICC history and signals the governing body’s increasingly firm stance on compliance.
