In a seismic shift for the world of cricket, International Cricket Council (ICC) has officially announced scotland will replace bangladesh in the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. The decision, which comes after a tense standoff between the two Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) And the sport’s global governing body has received high-profile support from the 1983 World Cup winner and former Indian captain.
Tournament, co-hosted by India And Sri LankaScheduled to run from February 7 to March 8, 2026. While the rest of the world prepares for the 20-team spectacle, Bangladesh’s withdrawal has sparked a heated debate regarding the game, diplomacy and the influence of neighboring countries.
Former World Cup hero backs ICC’s Scotland call on Bangladesh
Speaking to ANI, Madan Lal Did not hold back in assessing the situation. He described the ICC’s decision to elevate Scotland as “Very goodHe further said, and also criticized BCB, which he considers a strategic mistake.
Lal suggested that the decision to exit was not entirely internal, pointing to external pressure. “Pakistan also misled them (Bangladesh). Now this is a huge opportunity for Scotland as they will get a lot of exposure. Bangladesh has made a big mistake,Lal commented.
His comments refer to the BCB’s refusal to travel to India citing security concerns despite independent assessments by internal and external experts finding no credible or verifiable threat. Lal further stressed that India, particularly Mumbai – one of the scheduled venues – remains one of the safest environments for international cricket, suggesting that a withdrawal would result in massive commercial and developmental losses for Bangladesh.
Also read: Bangladesh officially out of T20 World Cup 2026; ICC announced replacement
Why is Scotland the new contender for Group C?
The transition from Bangladesh to Scotland was the result of a rigorous three-week negotiation process. The ICC conducted a thorough review after BCB demanded that its Group C matches be shifted from India to Sri Lanka. When the request was rejected on the grounds of lack of genuine security threat, the ICC issued a 24-hour ultimatum to Bangladesh to confirm their participation.
Following BCB’s silence, the ICC turned to its established qualification protocols. Scotland, currently ranked 14th in the world, were selected as the replacement as they were the highest-ranked T20I team that did not originally qualify for the 2026 edition.
Scotland will now take charge of the Bangladesh fixtures in Group C, joining a competitive pool that includes:
- England
- west indies
- Nepal
- Italy
The “Saltire” will begin their campaign on opening day, 7 February, against west indies In Kolkata. For Scotland, it represents a golden opportunity to build on their impressive 2024 performance, where they narrowly missed out on the Super 8s. However, for Bangladesh, the outcome is dire; Reports suggest the board could face a potential $27 million loss in ICC revenue and the cancellation of bilateral series marks a dark chapter for the “Tigers” on the global stage.