T20 World Cup 2026: ICC replace Bangladesh with Scotland

Scotland have officially replaced Bangladesh in the T20 World Cup 2026, which begins in India and Sri Lanka on February 7. The International Cricket Council (ICC) made the final decision on Saturday, January 24, after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) failed to comply with a 24-hour deadline set following a board meeting.

ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta formally wrote to the ICC Board, stating the BCB's demands were not in line with ICC policy and that the board was not complying with its decision. With no other option, the ICC extended a formal invitation to Scotland to take Bangladesh's place in the tournament. A copy of the communication was sent to BCB president Aminul Islam, who is an ICC Board member.

Simultaneously, Gupta is understood to have written to Cricket Scotland with the formal invitation. Cricbuzz reached out to Cricket Scotland CEO Trudy Lindblade but did not receive an immediate response.

Why Scotland, and what it means

Scotland have been awarded a World Cup berth based on their performances in previous ICC events and their current ranking of 14th.

• In the 2024 T20 World Cup, they finished third in Group B, level on points with England but behind on Net Run Rate.
• In 2022, they beat the West Indies in the group stage but finished third, failing to qualify for the Super 12.
• In 2021, they beat Bangladesh in the group stage and topped their group, but did not win a match in the Super 12 round.

As a result of the swap, Scotland will be placed in Group C for the preliminary stage. Their schedule is as follows:

• February 7: vs West Indies in Kolkata
• February 9: vs Italy in Kolkata
• February 14: vs England in Kolkata
• February 17: vs Nepal in Mumbai

Background to the Decision

The ICC had engaged with the BCB, allowing time for Bangladesh to review its stance on playing in India. The council aimed to avoid setting a precedent where a member could demand the relocation of matches, seeking to protect the sanctity of the World Cup schedule.

After the January 21 board meeting—where all but two members rejected Bangladesh's request to move their matches—the ICC set a 24-hour deadline. The BCB did not comply and instead raised fresh objections, questioning the ICC's security assessment which had concluded the threat to the Bangladesh team in India was "moderate to low."

The BCB countered, claiming the threat was "moderate to high," and referenced sending a team to Pakistan last year for the Champions Trophy when the ICC's assessed threat was higher.

Despite some indications of a potential rethink during the Bangladesh Premier League final on January 23, the BCB remained relentless in its demands. The BCB did write to the ICC after the deadline had passed, but the ICC had waited long enough. On Saturday, the chief executive informed the board that, based on the January 21 decision, it was compelled to replace Bangladesh in the tournament.