Reports from Indian media suggest that Scotland could replace Bangladesh in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. The decision follows the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s refusal to send its team to India due to security concerns. If confirmed, this would be one of the most significant changes in recent World Cup history.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) is expected to make an official announcement soon. Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has sent a second formal letter requesting that the matter be referred to the independent dispute resolution committee.
The BCB emphasized that its national team will not play in India. Officials cited persistent security concerns and government directives supporting the decision. This letter followed the ICC’s previous rejection of Bangladesh’s request to shift its matches to another country.
Following the ICC decision, BCB President Aminul Islam, Adviser to the Ministry of Youth and Sports Asif Nazrul, and several national players met to discuss their next steps. After the meeting, the board confirmed it would continue pressing to play its World Cup matches in Sri Lanka.
“We will approach the ICC with our plan to play in Sri Lanka,” Aminul Islam said. “The ICC cannot impose a 24-hour ultimatum. Missing Bangladesh’s participation would mean losing 200 million viewers. It will be their loss.” He added that the decision not to travel to India was taken at the government level.
Despite Bangladesh’s insistence, the ICC has rejected the venue-change request. The 20-team T20 World Cup is still scheduled from February 7 to March 8.
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With the stalemate unresolved, Indian media reports suggest that Scotland could be included in place of Bangladesh. An official ICC statement is expected soon, which may confirm this major reshuffle. This development would mark a historic change in the
