After three weeks of tense negotiations, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed that Bangladesh will not participate in the 2026 T20 World Cup due to its refusal to play on Indian ground. Scotland has replaced the Tigers in the main stage.
According to Cricbuzz, multiple rounds of meetings were held between ICC officials and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) before the final decision. ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta remained in constant contact with BCB representatives, but a last-minute video conference reportedly turned heated. BCB President Aminul Islam refused to accept the ICC’s assurances regarding India’s security and expressed frustration during the discussions.
Bangladesh had requested that all its matches be moved to Sri Lanka, citing concerns over Mustafizur Rahman’s absence from the IPL and potential security risks on Indian soil. The ICC reviewed the demand for three weeks and gave the BCB a 24-hour deadline to reconsider. When Bangladesh remained firm, the ICC confirmed Scotland as their replacement.
In an official statement on Saturday, the ICC said, “We have examined the concerns raised by the BCB with the utmost transparency and seriousness. Discussions have been ongoing for three weeks through video conferences and face-to-face meetings. In our assessment, there is no credible security risk to the Bangladesh team or fans in India. Therefore, we did not consider it appropriate to change the published schedule.”
Bangladesh had also proposed swapping venues with Ireland, but the ICC Board of Directors rejected the option. The BCB later approached the ICC Dispute Resolution Committee, which also denied the request. Ultimately, Bangladesh withdrew from the tournament, insisting on their demands.
Bangladesh had been placed in Group C, scheduled to play four matches against England, Italy, Nepal, and the West Indies in Kolkata and Mumbai. Scotland, next in line based on qualification rankings, has now taken their place.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
