The ICC has officially removed Bangladesh from the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup and replaced them with Scotland. The decision follows a long dispute over security concerns and travel to India.
The tournament is scheduled to begin on February 7 across India and Sri Lanka. Scotland has now been confirmed as a participant after Bangladesh failed to meet ICC requirements.
According to reports, the ICC had earlier asked the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to withdraw its demands. These demands included changing match venues outside India. The ICC dispute committee rejected the request and upheld the original schedule.
Scotland has been placed in Group C. The group also includes West Indies, England, Italy, and Nepal. Scotland will start their campaign against West Indies in Kolkata on February 7. They will then face Italy, England, and Nepal in later matches.
Sources said the ICC issued a 24-hour ultimatum to BCB earlier this week. The board was warned that failure to comply would lead to replacement. On Saturday, ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta informed the ICC Board that Bangladesh had not accepted the final decision.
At the same time, Cricket Scotland received a formal invitation. Communications between ICC officials and Cricket Scotland began immediately. This confirmed Scotland’s entry into the tournament.
Scotland was chosen based on strong recent performances. They are ranked 14th in the world. In the 2024 T20 World Cup, they finished third in their group on equal points with England. They also defeated West Indies in 2022 and topped their group in 2021.
Bangladesh’s removal is linked to their refusal to travel to India. The BCB cited security risks as the main reason. Despite multiple discussions, Bangladesh maintained its position. An independent security review ordered by the ICC rated the risk as low to moderate.
The ICC delegation also visited Dhaka to resolve the issue. However, no agreement was reached. The ICC later confirmed that the match schedule would not be changed.
The dispute also involved the release of Bangladeshi player Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL. This move increased tensions between cricket boards. The BCB then requested all matches be shifted to Sri Lanka, which the ICC refused.
In other news read more about ICC Assures Bangladesh of Smooth Participation in T20 World Cup
Bangladesh’s exit marks a rare and dramatic move in international cricket. It reflects the ICC’s strict stance on compliance and tournament rules. Officials say the decision ensures fairness and maintains the integrity of global events.
