The Bangladesh government and national cricket team on Thursday, January 22, have decided not to participate in the scheduled ICC T20 World Cup 2026, which will be played in India and Sri Lanka from February 7. The shocking decision in the cricket world came a day after the International Cricket Council (ICC) rejected the Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB) request to shift matches outside India, likely in Sri Lanka, over the political issues between the two countries over recent incidents of cruelty against minorities in Bangladesh.
The crisis reached its breaking point on Thursday after the ICC’s 24-hour ultimatum to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) expired. In a final meeting between BCB officials, national players, and Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul in Dhaka, the government maintained its firm stance that India is "not secure" for its citizens.
Who Will Replace Bangladesh in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026?
After Bangladesh decided to pull out from the international cricket tournament of ICC, Scotland are likely to replace them based on current rankings. Following the confirmation of the boycott, the ICC activated its contingency plan, naming Scotland—the highest-ranked non-qualified team—as the replacement in Group C.
Scotland will now join Group C alongside England, the West Indies, Nepal, and Italy. The Scottish squad, which narrowly missed qualification in the European regional finals, is reportedly ready to travel and will inherit Bangladesh’s fixtures, starting with the opening clash against the West Indies at Eden Gardens.
Also Read | Bangladesh Not To Play ICC T20 World Cup 2026 in India After ICC Rejects Request to Shift Matches.
The decision concludes a weeks-long deadlock that has threatened to overshadow the tournament, which is scheduled to begin on February 7. The standoff originated on January 4, when the BCB first cited security concerns and requested its matches be moved to co-host Sri Lanka. However, an ICC Board vote on Wednesday saw 14 of the 16 members—with only Pakistan supporting Bangladesh—reject the relocation plea.
The ICC stated that independent safety assessments found "no credible or verifiable threat" to Bangladeshi players at the scheduled venues in Kolkata and Mumbai. The global body argued that shifting fixtures so close to the event would "jeopardise the sanctity" of its tournaments and undermine its neutrality as a governing body.
Mustafizur Withdrawal and Political Tensions
While the BCB cited safety, the ICC spokesperson noted that the dispute appeared heavily linked to an "isolated incident" involving pacer Mustafizur Rahman. Earlier this month, the BCCI instructed the IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to release the bowler, citing "developments all around."
This move, combined with deteriorating bilateral relations and the recent banning of IPL broadcasts in Bangladesh, escalated the issue from a sporting disagreement to a diplomatic row. BCB President Aminul Islam Bulbul expressed disappointment on Thursday, stating, "The Mustafizur issue is not an isolated incident... Cricket is going to the Olympics, but if a country like ours is excluded, it is the ICC's failure."