‘Not how we wanted to qualify’: Scotland on replacing Bangladesh in T20 World Cup 2026

Following Bangladesh’s withdrawal from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, Scotland has been drafted into the tournament as a replacement. After accepting the invitation, Cricket Scotland expressed sympathy for Bangladesh, acknowledging the unusual circumstances surrounding their entry into the competition.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed Scotland’s inclusion after removing Bangladesh from the 20-team tournament, which will be co-hosted by Sri Lanka and India from February 7 to March 8.

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Cricket Scotland chief executive Trudy Lindblade said the team empathised with Bangladesh’s situation, stressing that this was not how they had hoped to qualify for a World Cup.

“We certainly have sympathy for the Bangladesh team,” Lindblade said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. “Obviously, this is not how we wanted to go to a World Cup. There is a qualification process, and nobody wants to qualify or attend a World Cup in the way that we have done. We recognise that these are unique circumstances, and we do feel for the Bangladesh players.”

Scotland have faced criticism over their inclusion in the tournament, but Lindblade defended her side’s credentials.

“I wouldn’t use those words. People will have their views, and they are entitled to them,” she said. “All we know is that we have been invited to participate in the World Cup. We are ranked 14th in the world and are a strong team that plays consistently throughout the year.

“That World Cup qualifier was not how we normally play, so we are pleased to be at this World Cup. We are happy to step in, even though these are unique and challenging circumstances, and we absolutely recognise that.”

The ICC’s decision came on Saturday after nearly three weeks of back-and-forth discussions. Bangladesh refused to participate as per the published match schedule, despite confirming that there were no specific security concerns.

The matter escalated after the ICC rejected the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) request to shift its matches from India to Sri Lanka, citing the absence of any credible or verifiable security threat to the Bangladesh national team in India.

The ICC made repeated efforts to resolve the issue through emails, virtual meetings, and an in-person meeting with BCB officials, during which it reiterated that there was no identified security risk.

After its meeting on Wednesday, the ICC Board asked the BCB to confirm within 24 hours whether Bangladesh would participate as scheduled. When no confirmation was received within the deadline, the ICC moved forward in accordance with its governance and qualification processes to identify a replacement team.

The dispute reportedly began after the BCCI directed IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman amid ongoing violence against Hindu community members in Bangladesh. Subsequently, the BCB held an emergency meeting, banned IPL broadcasts in Bangladesh, and formally wrote to the ICC seeking a change in venue for their World Cup matches.

In its statement, the ICC said it reviewed all concerns raised by the BCB and considered independent security assessments from both internal and external experts. It also shared detailed security and operational plans, covering federal and state-level arrangements along with enhanced security protocols for the event.

“These assurances were reiterated at several stages, including during discussions involving the ICC Business Corporation (IBC) Board,” the ICC said.

Scotland, currently ranked 14th in T20Is, were the highest-ranked side not to have originally qualified for the tournament. They are ranked above seven teams already in the competition: Namibia, the United Arab Emirates, Nepal, the United States, Canada, Oman and Italy.