Scotland and Bangladesh (Source:X)In a significant development, the ICC is set to move forward with Scotland as a replacement for Bangladesh in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 after the BCB failed to respond within a crucial 24-hour deadline set by the global body.The T20 World Cup 2026 is scheduled to be hosted jointly by India and Sri Lanka. Bangladesh’s participation had been under serious doubt for weeks due to security concerns related to matches being played in India. The situation reached a breaking point when the ICC asked the BCB to officially confirm whether the team would travel to India to play their scheduled games in Mumbai and Kolkata.No concrete response from BCB regarding T20 World Cup participationAccording to reports, the ICC waited the full 24 hours for a formal response from Dhaka. While the BCB reportedly held internal meetings, spoke with government officials, and consulted player representatives. However, no official communication was sent to the ICC before the deadline expired. The silence effectively handed control of the situation to the ICC.From the ICC's standpoint, the process was clear and straightforward. Bangladesh was asked to confirm participation. If it agreed, the issue would end. If it did not, the ICC would move ahead with a replacement team to avoid delays in tournament planning. With no response from the BCB, the ICC is now free to act.Why Scotland will be included in place of Bangladesh?Scotland has emerged as the strongest and most likely replacement. The side is the highest-ranked team among those that narrowly missed direct qualification for the tournament.The team finished fourth in the European Qualifiers, behind the Netherlands, Italy, and Jersey, making them the next-best option under ICC rules. The process to formally confirm Scotland’s participation is expected to move quickly, according to Cricbuzz.The BCB maintained its stance throughout the deadline period, repeatedly raising concerns about player safety in India. Asif Nazrul questions ICC and BCCI's ability to guarantee player safetyBangladesh government sports advisor Asif Nazrul publicly stated that the decision not to travel to India was a government call, citing past incidents and claiming that players could not be guaranteed security. He also questioned the guarantee provided by the ICC and the BCCI. "Now this ICC tournament is being held in India. No matter how much the ICC says there is no security risk, the ICC does not have its own country. The country where my player was not safe - and where the Indian cricket board, which is an extended arm of the government, failed or was unwilling to provide him security under pressure from extremists - that is the country hosting this tournament," Asif Nazrul, the Bangladesh government's sports advisor, said on Thursday stating that not to play in India is a government decision.Relations between the two nations have been strained in recent months. Tensions escalated in December following the killing of a Hindu factory worker in Bangladesh, which sparked anger and strong reactions in India.The situation worsened when Kolkata Knight Riders released Bangladesh ace pacer Mustafizur Rahman for the 2026 season.Despite BCB president Aminul Islam speaking about the possibility of a 'last-minute miracle,' the ICC board had already voted on the issue earlier. The final choice was left entirely to the Tigers, and by missing the deadline, the country effectively chose not to participate.
