Bangladesh Accepts ICC Decision on T20 World Cup Exit
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced that it will not challenge the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) decision to remove the national team from the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup after Bangladesh declined to travel to India for its scheduled matches. The board said it respects the ICC’s ruling and will not pursue arbitration or legal action.
Scotland Replaces Bangladesh
With Bangladesh’s exit, Scotland has been named as the replacement team in the tournament lineup. This change comes less than two weeks before the World Cup, which is co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka and scheduled to begin on February 7, 2026. The ICC’s decision followed Bangladesh’s request to relocate its matches to a neutral venue due to concerns over playing in India, which was not accepted by the council.
Reaction and Context
BCB media committee officials said the board had explored all options before accepting the ICC’s decision, noting there was no further recourse after the council stood by its position. Bangladesh had qualified for the World Cup through standard qualification but will now miss its first edition due to the dispute. Scotland moves into Group C, joining other qualified teams for the global event.
