In a dramatic late twist ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, Bangladesh have been officially removed from the tournament, with Scotland drafted in as their replacement, the International Cricket Council confirmed on Saturday.
The decision follows Bangladesh Cricket Board’s refusal to send its national team to India under the tournament’s existing schedule, despite repeated assurances from the ICC that no credible security threat existed for the team, officials, or supporters.
Scotland will now take Bangladesh’s place in Group C, where they will compete alongside England, West Indies, Nepal and Italy when the tournament gets underway on February 7.
Why Bangladesh Were Removed
The issue began earlier this month when the BCB formally requested that Bangladesh’s World Cup matches be shifted from India to Sri Lanka, the tournament’s co-host, citing player safety concerns.
However, after conducting multiple independent security assessments, both internal and external, the ICC concluded that there was no verifiable or credible threat to Bangladesh’s participation in India.
According to the ICC, extensive discussions were held with the BCB over a three-week period, including virtual meetings and in-person engagements. Detailed security and operational plans — covering both federal and state-level arrangements — were also shared with the Bangladesh board.
Despite this, the BCB maintained its stance and failed to confirm participation within the 24-hour deadline issued by the ICC earlier this week.
“With the tournament approaching rapidly, it was not feasible to amend the published schedule,” the ICC said in a statement, adding that altering fixtures without substantiated security concerns could undermine the integrity and neutrality of future ICC events.
Scotland Get Their Moment
With Bangladesh officially out, the ICC moved swiftly to identify a replacement in line with its governance and qualification framework. Scotland, ranked 14th in T20I cricket, emerged as the next eligible team after narrowly missing out on direct qualification.
The move hands Scotland a rare opportunity to compete on the sport’s biggest T20 stage, ahead of several other associate nations including Namibia, UAE, USA, Canada and Oman.
For Scottish cricket, the call-up represents a major boost and a chance to test themselves against elite opposition in a group featuring former world champions England and West Indies.
Group C Updated
Following the change, Group C now includes:
- England
- West Indies
- Scotland
- Nepal
- Italy
Bangladesh had originally been scheduled to play three of their four group matches in Kolkata before travelling to Mumbai for their final fixture.
A Significant Moment for the Tournament
With less than two weeks to go before the first ball is bowled, the removal of a Full Member nation from a World Cup is an extraordinary development — and one that adds further intrigue to an already high-stakes tournament.
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 will proceed as planned from February 7 to March 8, with matches hosted across India and Sri Lanka.
As the dust settles, attention now turns to Scotland’s preparations — and how this sudden opportunity might reshape the dynamics of Group C.
