Reports: ICC speed-dials Scotland to play T20 World Cup 2026 after Bangladesh fail to reply within deadline

With the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) failing to send a formal response to the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) deadline, the governing body is now preparing to invite Scotland as their replacement for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled to kick off on February 7 across India and Sri Lanka.

The ICC had set a 24-hour ultimatum for the BCB to clarify whether Bangladesh would participate in the tournament under the current schedule, without affecting the original schedule of playing all their group stage fixtures in India. However, as the deadline passed without any official communication from Dhaka, the ICC is planning to take action. 

According to Cricbuzz, the BCB did not formally acknowledge or confirm its position within the timeframe allowed, despite ongoing media speculation that the board had discussed the issue internally with government officials and player representatives. Bangladesh's sports advisor, Asif Nazrul, had a strong response to the situation, saying the decision now lies completely with their central government. 

"Now this ICC tournament is being held in India. No matter how much the ICC says there is no security risk, the ICC does not have its own country. The country where my player was not safe - and where the Indian cricket board, which is an extended arm of the government, failed or was unwilling to provide him security under pressure from extremists - that is the country hosting this tournament," he was quoted as saying. 

Scotland, currently the highest-ranked T20I team not qualified for the tournament, are now the frontrunners to fill Bangladesh’s spot in the twenty-team tournament should they remain unmoved on their stance. The standoff arose from Bangladesh’s persistent refusal to play their World Cup matches in India, citing security concerns and demanding that the fixtures be relocated to co-host Sri Lanka. 

What this means for the T20 World Cup

The Bangla Tigers are scheduled to play four Group C games, three in Kolkata and one in Mumbai, against the West Indies, England, Italy, and Nepal. With their potential withdrawal, the group dynamics could change significantly, affecting preparations for both Bangladesh and their pre-decided opponents. With the marquee event being a fortnight away, all eyes are now on whether the BCB will lose the grip or if the ICC will finalise Scotland’s spot.