Scotland Replaces Bangladesh in T20 World Cup 2026 After Security Standoff
The International Cricket Council has officially replaced Bangladesh with Scotland for the 2026 T20 World Cup, bringing an end to nearly three weeks of negotiations between the governing body and the Bangladesh Cricket Board.
The decision came after the BCB communicated that the Bangladesh government had not granted permission to travel to India for the tournament, which begins on February 7 across India and Sri Lanka. The BCB had requested that the ICC shift their matches outside India to Sri Lanka, citing security and safety concerns for their players.
The controversy began when the BCCI instructed IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their squad ahead of the 2026 season. Following this development, the BCB wrote to the ICC expressing concerns about their team’s safety in India.
The ICC issued a 24-hour deadline to the Bangladesh Cricket Board earlier this week, but with no resolution forthcoming, the governing body proceeded with its replacement plan on Saturday.
Scotland’s inclusion is based on its consistent performances in recent ICC tournaments and its current ranking of 14 in T20 internationals. The European nation has previously participated in six of the nine editions of the Men’s T20 World Cup.
Scotland will be placed in Group C of the preliminary stage, opening its campaign against West Indies on February 7, followed by matches against Italy on February 9 and England on February 14 in Kolkata. They will then travel to Mumbai to face Nepal on February 17.
The ICC emphasized that independent security assessments had found no credible threats to Bangladesh’s safety in India, and stated that changing the schedule this close to the tournament would set a concerning precedent for future events.
