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Scotland and Bangladesh (Source:X)
Finally, the wait is over, and Scotland has officially replaced Bangladesh for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 after the BCB refused to travel to India for the tournament.
The International Cricket Council confirmed the decision on Saturday, January 24, bringing an end to days of uncertainty and intense debate.
The move came after ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta wrote a formal letter to the ICC Board, stating that Bangladesh’s demands did not match ICC policy. In the letter, Gupta said the Bangladesh Cricket Board was not following an earlier decision made by the ICC Board.
According to Cricbuzz, Gupta informed the Board that there was no other option left but to invite another team. As a result, Scotland has now officially replaced Bangladesh.
The letter was sent to all ICC Board members and was also marked to BCB president Aminul Islam, who is himself a member of the ICC Board.
The T20 World Cup 2026 is scheduled to be hosted in India, with some matches also planned in Sri Lanka. Bangladesh, however, raised concerns over player safety and requested that their group-stage matches be moved out of India.
The ICC rejected this request, citing independent security assessments that found no credible threat at the Indian venues.
Bangladesh stands firm despite ICC's ultimatum
The standoff escalated earlier this week when the ICC issued an ultimatum to the BCB, asking for a final confirmation on whether the national team would travel to India.
The governing body reportedly warned that failure to comply would result in Bangladesh's removal from the tournament.
Despite the warning, BCB officials at a press conference on January 22 once again pointed to security concerns and stated that the ICC had failed to find a solution. They also said the final decision was taken after consultations with the Bangladeshi government.
With Bangladesh refusing to change its stance, the ICC upheld its position that the matches would not be moved and was prepared to name a replacement team.
Scotland officially replaces Bangladesh in T20 World Cup 2026
Scotland, currently the highest-ranked team not qualified for the tournament, has finally replaced Bangladesh.
Although they failed to qualify through the European Qualifiers, finishing behind Italy, the Netherlands, and Jersey, their ICC T20I ranking places them ahead of other non-qualifying nations.
How many editions of the ICC T20 World Cup have Scotland been part of?
Scotland have featured in six editions of the ICC T20 World Cup so far. Their appearances came in 2007, 2009, 2016, 2021, 2022, and 2024. Their best performance was in 2021, when they reached the Super 12s stage.
Scotland's Schedule in T20 World Cup 2026
It is important to mention that Scotland has been included in Group C in place of Bangladesh. They have been included alongside England, West Indies, Italy, and Nepal.
The Scottish team will play the first match against the West Indies on the opening day, which is February 7, 2026. The game is scheduled to be played at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. The Scottish team's second match will be against Italy on February 7 at the same venue.
The third match for the team will be against England on February 14 in Kolkata. The last group-stage match for the Scottish team will be against Nepal on February 17 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.
- Sat, 07 Feb 2026 - Scotland vs West Indies
- Mon, 09 Feb 2026 - Scotland vs Italy
- Sat, 14 Feb 2026 - Scotland vs England
- Tue, 17 Feb 2026 - Scotland vs Nepal
The much-awaited global tournament will start on February 7, 2026, and the final will be played on March 8, 2026 . On the opening day, Pakistan will play against the Netherlands, and India will also play their first match against the USA in Mumbai. The third match will be between the West Indies and the Scotland.
