Bangladesh out, Scotland in for T20 World Cup: Reports

The global cricket body has named Scotland as Bangladesh’s replacement for the tournament, which begins on February 7, sources told NDTV.

The development comes days after the ICC rejected Bangladesh’s proposal to shift their matches to Sri Lanka, the co-host of the event.

Sources said senior ICC officials, including chairman Jay Shah, were in Dubai on Friday when an email was sent late in the evening to Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) chairman Aminul Islam Bulbul, formally conveying the decision.

“An email was sent last evening to the BCB chairman informing him that the board failed to officially respond within the 24-hour deadline given to confirm participation in India. As a result, a decision has been taken,” an ICC source told NDTV on condition of anonymity.

“The BCB held a press conference in Dhaka before officially communicating with the ICC, which is a violation of protocol. They were categorically informed that Bangladesh is being replaced,” the source added.

If officially confirmed, Scotland will play four group-stage matches—against West Indies on February 7, Italy on February 9, and England on February 14 in Kolkata—followed by a match against Nepal in Mumbai on February 17.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the ICC said it had engaged in “sustained and constructive dialogue” with the BCB over several weeks in an effort to keep Bangladesh in the tournament.

The ICC said it had shared independent security assessments, venue-level security plans, and formal assurances from host authorities, all of which consistently concluded there was “no credible or verifiable threat” to the Bangladesh squad in India.

‘Concerns not based on assumptions’

Bangladesh officials, however, maintained that their concerns were grounded in recent events. Nazrul cited an IPL-related episode involving pacer Mustafizur Rahman, claiming the Indian cricket board withdrew the player from the tournament after Kolkata Knight Riders reportedly faced threats from political groups opposing Bangladeshi participation.

“These concerns are not based on assumptions or hypothetical analysis; they stem from a real incident,” Nazrul said.

He argued that if adequate safety could not be ensured for a top Bangladesh player during the IPL, there was little reason to trust security assurances during an ICC event hosted in the same country.

Nazrul also stressed that responsibility for the team’s protection would rest with local police and security agencies, reinforcing Bangladesh’s position that it could not risk player safety under any circumstances.