Bangladesh have withdrawn from next month’s men’s T20 World Cup and will be replaced by Scotland.
Scotland, ranked 14th globally, were invited by the International Cricket Council after being identified as the highest ranked side outside the original tournament field. They will take Bangladesh’s place in Group C.
Bangladesh requested that their fixtures be moved away from India, citing safety concerns linked to rising diplomatic tensions. The Bangladesh Cricket Board sought to play matches in Sri Lanka, a co host nation for the event.
The ICC rejected that request earlier this week, stating that no credible security threat had been identified. The BCB later confirmed that it would not send a team to India.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the ICC said it had held multiple rounds of dialogue with the BCB in a transparent and constructive manner.
“In light of these findings, and after careful consideration of the broader implications, the ICC determined that it was not appropriate to amend the published event schedule,” said the statement
The ICC board granted the BCB a final 24 hour period to confirm participation. That deadline passed without agreement, leading officials to proceed with an alternative plan.
The governing body said it was not appropriate to alter the published schedule and stressed the need to avoid precedents that could affect neutrality and fairness across ICC events.
Cricket Scotland had monitored the situation closely over recent weeks and had taken internal operational steps in anticipation of a possible call up.
Scotland’s players had already returned to training ahead of a one day international tri series with Namibia and Oman in Windhoek in March.
The timetable remains challenging. Scotland are required to secure visas for India ahead of their opening match against West Indies in Kolkata on 7 February.
England, Italy, and Nepal also feature in Group C. Scotland face England in Kolkata on 14 February.
A fourth place finish at last summer’s Europe Qualifier had appeared to end Scotland’s hopes of reaching the 2026 tournament, with the Netherlands and Italy taking the two available regional spots.
Zimbabwe withdrew from the 2009 tournament in England for political reasons and were replaced by Scotland, who qualified as the next highest ranked side at a global qualifying event.
Qualification systems have since shifted to a regional structure following the expansion to 20 teams in 2024. Scotland’s inclusion was a discretionary decision based on rankings.
Cricket Scotland chief executive Trudy Lindblade said the organisation was grateful to the ICC for the invitation and described it as a significant opportunity for the players.
“We are grateful to the ICC for extending this invite. This is an exciting opportunity for Scotland’s players to compete on the global stage in front of millions of supporters.
“We also acknowledge this opportunity has arisen out of challenging and unique circumstances.
“Our squad have been training for some weeks in preparation for upcoming tours and are now preparing to arrive in India imminently to acclimatise to local conditions.”
