After Bangladesh Team Refused to Come to India ICC Replaces Bangladesh With Scotland in T20 World Cup 2026 After India Travel Refusal

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The International Cricket Council (ICC) has officially replaced Bangladesh with Scotland in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) refused to send its team to India, citing security concerns. The decision came after nearly three weeks of negotiations between the ICC and the BCB, which failed to produce a resolution. The ICC announced the decision on Friday, January 23, 2026.

The ICC informed its board members of the move through an internal email, stating: “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.”

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The BCB had earlier communicated to the ICC that the Bangladesh government had not granted permission for the team to travel to India for the tournament, which begins on February 7, 2026. The BCB also sought to refer the matter to the ICC’s Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC), though it remains unclear on what legal grounds the appeal was made or how the ICC responded.

The final decision followed an emergency ICC Board meeting held via video conference, during which the majority of directors voted in favour of replacing Bangladesh if it continued to insist on moving its matches out of India, including a proposed shift to Sri Lanka.

In a statement after the meeting, the ICC said it was not “feasible” to alter the tournament schedule so close to the start date. The Board also stated that changing venues in the absence of any “credible security threat” could set a dangerous precedent and undermine the ICC’s neutrality.

According to ESPNcricinfo, the ICC had given the BCB until Thursday, January 23, 2026, to consult the Bangladesh government and confirm whether the team would travel to India as per the existing schedule. However, both the government and the BCB reiterated their refusal.

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The dispute began after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), on January 3, 2026 directed IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL 2026 squad. Although no official reason was given, the decision came amid deteriorating diplomatic relations between India and Bangladesh.

Scotland has now been officially named as Bangladesh’s replacement. The ICC confirmed the decision after a meeting in Dubai convened by ICC Chairman Jay Shah, and an email conveying the decision was sent later that evening to BCB chairman Aminul Islam Bulbul.

Scotland will now compete in Group C alongside England, the West Indies, Italy and Nepal. They will play the West Indies on February 7, 2026 in Kolkata, Italy on February 9, 2026 at Eden Gardens, England on February 14, 2026 at the same venue, and conclude their group-stage campaign against Nepal in Mumbai on February 17, 2026.

[VP]

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