ICC drops Bangladesh, names Scotland for T20 World Cup

News Desk

Islamabad: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has replaced Bangladesh with Scotland in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 after Dhaka declined to send its team to India for the tournament, citing government restrictions, according to a report by ESPNcricinfo on Saturday.

The report said the ICC formally informed the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) of the decision via email on Friday evening, after the board conveyed that the Bangladesh government had not granted clearance for the team to travel to India. The tournament is scheduled to begin on February 7.

According to ESPNcricinfo, the BCB indicated in its communication with the ICC on Thursday that it intended to challenge the decision by referring the matter to the ICC’s Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC).

The decision marks a significant escalation in an ongoing dispute between Bangladesh cricket authorities and the ICC, rooted in Dhaka’s refusal to play its World Cup fixtures in India due to security concerns amid deteriorating political relations between the two neighbours. Bangladesh had instead demanded that its matches be shifted to Sri Lanka, the tournament’s co-host.

Tensions between Dhaka and New Delhi have increasingly spilled over into cricket. The situation worsened earlier this year when Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman was released from his contract with an Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise despite having signed with the Kolkata-based team.

In response, Bangladesh authorities banned the broadcast of IPL matches in the country and reiterated their demand to play World Cup fixtures outside India.

The ICC’s decision to replace Bangladesh with Scotland underscores the growing impact of diplomatic strains on international cricket scheduling and participation, raising fresh questions about the sport’s ability to remain insulated from geopolitical disputes.