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Bangladesh have pulled out of next month’s men’s T20 World Cup, paving the way for Scotland to step in as their replacement.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed that Scotland, currently ranked 14th in the world, will join the tournament as the highest-ranked team not originally qualified, taking Bangladesh’s place in Group C.
Bangladesh had earlier requested that their matches be moved out of India, citing safety concerns linked to rising tensions between the two nations. They asked instead to play their fixtures in Sri Lanka, one of the event’s co-hosts. After reviewing the request, the ICC ruled that there was no credible security threat and declined to alter the schedule. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) later stood by its stance, leading to further discussions with the ICC.
In a statement, the ICC said it had engaged in multiple rounds of talks with the BCB and gave the board a final 24-hour window to confirm whether the team would travel to India. When no confirmation was received, the governing body moved ahead with contingency plans and formally invited Scotland.
The ICC added that changing venues would have wider consequences and could set an unwanted precedent, potentially affecting the neutrality and fairness of future tournaments.
Cricket Scotland officials had been monitoring the situation closely and had taken early operational steps in case the opportunity arose. Scotland’s players were already in training ahead of a scheduled ODI tri-series with Namibia and Oman in Windhoek next month.
Despite this preparation, Scotland face a tight turnaround, particularly in securing visas, with their opening match set for 7 February in Kolkata against West Indies. They will also face England on 14 February, alongside Italy and Nepal in Group C.
Scotland had narrowly missed automatic qualification for the 2026 T20 World Cup after finishing fourth at last year’s Europe Qualifier. Their inclusion marks a rare instance of a discretionary ICC decision based on rankings, rather than regional qualification pathways.
Cricket Scotland chief executive Trudy Lindblade welcomed the invitation, calling it a major opportunity for the squad to showcase their talent on the world stage, while acknowledging the unusual circumstances surrounding the decision. She added that the team is preparing to travel to India soon to adapt to local conditions.
