A major question has arisen regarding the men’s T20 World Cup scheduled for next month. There is speculation that Scotland might replace Bangladesh in the tournament.
Meanwhile, a BBC report has provided a new update on the matter. According to the report, there have been no discussions between the ICC and Scotland so far.
However, the situation is being monitored. Both the Scottish players and the board are ready, but they have not yet received any communication from the ICC.
Why Bangladesh’s participation is in question
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has informed the ICC that their team will not travel to India to play in the tournament. The reason cited is the ongoing political tension between the two countries. Bangladesh has demanded that their matches be held at a different venue.
Scotland’s name is being discussed because they are currently ranked 14th in the ICC T20 rankings and are the highest-ranked team not participating in the World Cup. If Bangladesh withdraws, Scotland could be a potential replacement.
The BBC report states that the ICC has not yet contacted Cricket Scotland. Scottish officials will also not contact the ICC themselves, as they consider it a matter of respect towards the Bangladesh Cricket Board.
Scotland did not qualify directly for the 2026 T20 World Cup. They finished fourth in the European qualifiers, where the Netherlands and Italy secured their spots.
Despite this, the team is continuing its training and is preparing for an ODI tri-series with Namibia and Oman in March.
Waiting for ICC’s decision, BCB’s statement
According to reports, a final decision on Bangladesh’s participation may be made soon, but the ICC has not yet clarified how a replacement team would be chosen if a team withdraws.
In 2009, Scotland was given a chance when Zimbabwe withdrew, but the qualification system has changed since then. Meanwhile, the BCB has denied any ICC deadline of January 21st. BCB Director Amjad Hussain gave a full statement regarding the meeting with the ICC.
He said:
“Last Saturday, January 17, an ICC representative came. A meeting was held with a delegation from our Cricket Board. There, we clearly conveyed our position regarding World Cup participation and informed them that we are unable to play at the specified venue, and we requested an alternative venue. A detailed discussion took place with their representative. At that time, they told us that they would inform the ICC about these matters and later communicate the decision to us. However, they did not mention any specific date or timeline for when they would inform us, only that they would let us know the next date. Thank you,” he said.
Now all eyes are on the ICC’s next move, because whatever the decision, it will impact the entire tournament.
