ICC Drops Bangladesh from T20 World Cup 2026 After Travel Standoff, Scotland Drafted In

New Delhi | January 24, 2026 The International Cricket Council (ICC) has taken a historic and tough decision by removing Bangladesh from the Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) refused to send its team to India, citing security concerns. Following days of meetings, deadlines, and failed negotiations, the ICC confirmed that Scotland will replace Bangladesh in Group C. This marks the first time in cricket history that a team has been ejected from a global ICC tournament. According to sources, the ICC had given the BCB a 24-hour final deadline on Wednesday to confirm participation. However, the board remained firm in its stance, with BCB president Aminul Islam and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul making it clear that travelling to India was not an option. Despite one last attempt by Bangladesh to break the deadlock, the ICC moved ahead with its verdict. As confirmed by sources, “The ICC has sent a letter to the BCB confirming that they have been shown the door following their refusal to travel to India. Scotland has also been informed about being picked as the replacement. The formalities have been done.” The dispute intensified after Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman was released from his IPL franchise, following which the BCB began actively pushing to avoid playing World Cup matches in India. The board sent multiple emails to the ICC, requesting that their fixtures be shifted to Sri Lanka. In response, the ICC commissioned an independent security assessment and even sent a delegation to Dhaka to address concerns. However, after the threat level was classified as low to moderate, the ICC informed the BCB that the original schedule would remain unchanged and that Bangladesh would be required to travel to India. Bangladesh were originally placed in Group C alongside England, Nepal, Italy, and the West Indies. Their campaign was set to begin on February 7 against the West Indies. As per the schedule, they were to play three matches at Eden Gardens in Kolkata and one at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. On Wednesday night, Aminul Islam expressed hope that the ICC might reconsider and move the matches to Sri Lanka, but no such relief came. After late-night meetings with the interim Bangladesh government and discussions with players in Dhaka, the BCB stood its ground prompting the ICC to take its final call and usher Scotland into the tournament in Bangladesh’s place. ICC Takes Historic Call: Bangladesh Out of T20 World Cup, Scotland Step In The International Cricket Council (ICC) has officially removed Bangladesh from the Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) refused to send the team to India over security concerns. After several meetings and deadlines, the ICC decided to act firmly, bringing Scotland in as Bangladesh’s replacement in Group C. This decision has created history, as it is the first time a team has been dropped from an ICC global tournament. The BCB was given a final 24-hour window on Wednesday to confirm whether the team would travel to India. However, BCB president Aminul Islam and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul stood by their decision, stating that travelling to India was not possible. With no change in position, the ICC moved forward with its verdict. An ICC source confirmed, “The ICC has sent a letter to the BCB confirming that they have been shown the door following their refusal to travel to India. Scotland has also been informed about being picked as the replacement. The formalities have been done.” The issue had been brewing for weeks, especially after Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman was released from his IPL team. Following this, the BCB made repeated requests to shift their World Cup matches to Sri Lanka. The ICC tried to address the concerns by ordering an independent security review and even sent a delegation to Dhaka. Once the threat level was declared low to moderate, the ICC clearly stated that the schedule would not be changed. Bangladesh were originally placed in Group C with England, West Indies, Nepal, and Italy, with matches planned in Kolkata and Mumbai. On Wednesday night, Aminul Islam expressed hope that the ICC might still reconsider, but that did not happen. After consultations with the Bangladesh government and players, the board refused to back down, leaving the ICC with no option but to replace Bangladesh with Scotland. #ICCT20WorldCup