The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced that Scotland will step in for Bangladesh in the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup. This decision came after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) declined to participate in India due to the tournament schedule. Despite Bangladesh’s request to move their matches to Sri Lanka, citing safety concerns following a player’s release from the IPL, the ICC found no credible threats to the team’s security.
ICC officials, led by chairman Jay Shah, held discussions before finalizing the replacement of Bangladesh with Scotland. The ICC emphasized that after thorough assessments and dialogue with the BCB, it was not feasible to change the event schedule at short notice. Scotland will now join Group C in the tournament, playing alongside England, Italy, Nepal, and the West Indies.
In a statement, the ICC clarified that the decision to replace Bangladesh with Scotland was made following a transparent and detailed process. Despite Bangladesh’s concerns, the ICC’s security assessments did not reveal any significant risks to the team, officials, or fans in India. Scotland, ranked 14th globally, will kick off their campaign against the West Indies on February 7 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
