Scotland come in for Bangladesh following refusal to play T20 WC in India citing underlying security reasons.
ICC replaces Bangladesh with Scotland at T20 World Cup due to BCB refusal to play in India.
Following nearly three weeks of negotiations with the BCB regarding its unwillingness to send a team to India due to security concerns, the ICC decided to replace Bangladesh with Scotland at the 2026 T20 World Cup.
The ICC informed its board members via email of the decision: “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.”
In a statement released on Saturday, the ICC said they “reviewed the concerns cited by the BCB, commissioned and considered independent security assessments from internal and external experts, and shared detailed security and operational plans covering federal and state arrangements, as well as enhanced and escalating security protocols for the event. These assurances were reiterated at several stages, including during discussions involving the ICC Business Corporation (IBC) Board.
“The ICC’s assessments concluded that there was no credible or verifiable security threat to the Bangladesh national team, officials or supporters in India. 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.”
In a letter to the ICC on Thursday, the BCB expressed its desire to refer the issue to the ICC’s Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC). The basis for the BCB’s appeal to the DRC is unknown, as is the ICC’s reaction. The ICC convenes the DRC, an impartial panel, to assist in resolving a variety of conflicts, including those involving a member board and the governing body.
Scotland acknowledged their unexpected opportunity to compete in the T20 World Cup. “This is an exciting opportunity for Scotland’s players to compete on the global stage in front of millions of supporters,” Cricket Scotland said in a media statement. 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, ready to play and contribute to what should be a fantastic ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.”