The International Cricket Council (ICC) has formally replaced Bangladesh with Scotland for the upcoming 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup in India, concluding weeks of tense negotiations with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). This unprecedented decision follows Bangladesh’s refusal to participate in the tournament citing security concerns for its players.
According to ESPNcricinfo reports, the ICC notified BCB officials via email on Friday evening after the Bangladeshi board confirmed it had not received government permission to travel to India. The decision comes after three weeks of intensive discussions between cricket’s global governing body and BCB representatives.
Scotland secured the tournament slot based on their current ICC rankings and extensive T20 World Cup experience, having participated in six of the nine editions since the tournament’s inception in 2007. The European team brings established competitive credentials to the event.
The conflict escalated when BCB requested relocating Bangladesh’s matches to Sri Lanka, citing player safety concerns. This followed the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) instruction to IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman ahead of the 2026 season amid reported violence against minorities in Bangladesh.
The ICC subsequently rejected BCB’s venue change request during a specially convened video conference. BCB President Aminul Islam Bulbul maintained the board’s position against playing in India following this rejection. Reports indicate BCB pursued the matter through the ICC’s Dispute Resolution Committee, though official outcomes remain undisclosed.