Bangladesh officially departs from the T20 World Cup 2026 as the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirms that Scotland will take their place in the tournament. The ICC has formally informed Bangladesh of this decision through a letter.
Following Bangladesh's exit, Scotland has been granted a spot in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. Placed in Group C, Scotland will face teams like England, West Indies, Nepal, and Italy.
Bangladesh Defeated in ICC Voting
For approximately three weeks, there has been tension between Bangladesh and the ICC. Bangladesh insisted on shifting their matches from India to Sri Lanka, which the ICC declined, mandating matches be held in India.
In a decisive ICC board vote, a 14-2 majority approved the decision to hold Bangladesh’s matches in India. An independent security assessment rated the threat level as 'low to medium'.
This saga began after the IPL auction when Kolkata Knight Riders included Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman for a hefty sum of 9.20 crore. However, opposition in India arose due to reports of atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh, leading the BCCI to release Rahman from the IPL.
BCCI's decision angered the Bangladesh board, which threatened to boycott the World Cup, suggesting alternatives like Sri Lanka or Pakistan for their matches. Nevertheless, ICC's security report found no significant threats to their safety.
ICC ultimately made it clear that Bangladesh would have to play their matches in India or be ousted. After Bangladesh refused to comply, a vote was held where Bangladesh was defeated, resulting in Scotland replacing them.
