ICC Replaces Bangladesh with Scotland for 2026 T20 World Cup

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has officially replaced Bangladesh with Scotland at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, bringing an end to nearly three weeks of intense negotiations with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) over the latter’s refusal to send its team to India citing security concerns.

In an email circulated to ICC board members, the governing body confirmed the decision, stating that the BCB had declined to participate in the tournament as per the existing schedule, with matches slated to be held in India.

“The BCB is not agreeable to playing the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 per the match schedule with their matches in India. We are, therefore, going ahead with the Board decision to replace Bangladesh in the tournament,” the ICC said.

The ICC is understood to have formally informed the BCB of the decision on Friday evening, after the Bangladesh board communicated that its government had not granted clearance for the team to travel to India for the tournament, which begins on February 7.

Emergency Meeting and Board Vote

The final decision followed an emergency ICC board meeting held via video conference on Wednesday, during which a clear majority of directors voted in favour of replacing Bangladesh if they continued to insist on relocating their matches to Sri Lanka.

In a statement released after the meeting, the ICC said altering the tournament schedule so close to its commencement was “not feasible”, adding that there was no credible security threat to teams playing in India.

The board further warned that changing venues under such circumstances could set an unhealthy precedent, potentially undermining the neutrality of the ICC and the integrity of future global tournaments.

“Altering the schedule in the absence of any credible security threat could jeopardise the sanctity of future ICC events,” the ICC noted.

Dispute Resolution Route Unclear

The BCB has indicated it may take the matter to the ICC’s Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC). However, it remains uncertain whether such a move would be admissible, given that the ICC board had already approved a replacement by majority vote.

Clause 1.3 of the DRC framework specifies that the committee does not function as an appellate body against ICC decisions, but rather as a supervisory forum to assess the lawfulness of such decisions.

As of now, it is unclear on what legal grounds the BCB plans to pursue the dispute, or how the ICC will respond.

Group Fixtures Handed to Scotland

Bangladesh had been placed in Group C and were scheduled to play three matches in Kolkata and one in Mumbai. Those fixtures will now be taken over by Scotland, who have been formally inducted into the tournament.

The ICC had given the BCB until Thursday to consult with the Bangladesh government and confirm participation. Both the government and the BCB reiterated their refusal to travel to India, triggering the replacement.

Allegations of Double Standards

BCB president Aminul Islam criticised the ICC’s handling of the situation, accusing the governing body of double standards when compared to its accommodation of India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy.

The security issue escalated earlier this month after the BCCI instructed Kolkata Knight Riders to release Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL 2026 squad. Although no official explanation was offered, the move came amid worsening diplomatic relations between India and Bangladesh.

On January 4, following consultations with the government, the BCB formally informed the ICC that Bangladesh would not travel to India for its World Cup matches, a position it maintained through multiple rounds of discussions.

ICC Rejects Security Justification

The ICC, however, dismissed the Mustafizur episode as irrelevant to tournament security, stating that the BCB was repeatedly linking participation in a global event to “a single, isolated and unrelated development” involving a domestic league.

“This linkage has no bearing on the tournament’s security framework or the conditions governing participation in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup,” the ICC said.

With Scotland now confirmed as Bangladesh’s replacement, the ICC has moved to finalise operational arrangements, bringing clarity to a controversy that threatened to overshadow the build-up to the marquee event.

ALSO READ: 'Double Standards': Bangladesh Pushes Back as ICC Denies Venue Change