The ICC has directed the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to inform its government that persistent refusal to participate in matches hosted in India during
the 2026 T20 World Cup will lead to Bangladesh's ouster from the tournament, with another team stepping in as a replacement.
This firm stance came after an ICC Board vote on Wednesday (January 21), where the majority backed the replacement option to safeguard the event's schedule.
BCB gets final Ultimatum from ICC
The BCB has received a final 24-hour extension to clarify its decision on travelling to India for the tournament, amid ongoing political tensions affecting bilateral cricket ties between Bangladesh and India.
ICC held a board meeting on Wednesday to discuss the Bangladesh impasse before the T20 World Cup. The deadline of January 21 for the decision was taken after BCB's continuous stance to not to play on Indian soil. On Wednesday, a number of board members sat for the meeting, including BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi and BCB president Aminul Islam.
Representatives of Ireland, Zimbabwe, West Indies, New Zealand, South Africa and England were also in attendance, along with ICC's CEO Sanjog Gupta, deputy chairman Imran Khawaja and others. And the decision came out as if Bangladesh are unwilling to travel to India, they will be replaced!
Scotland as Replacement
Scotland stands out as the frontrunner to take Bangladesh's spot in Group C, having narrowly missed qualification through the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Europe Region Final in July 2025. They finished outside the top spots after a loss to Italy and a dramatic one-wicket defeat to Jersey, trailing behind Netherlands, Italy, and Jersey in the standings.
The 2026 T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from the Indian subcontinent's February-June window, features an expanded 20-team format with Group C originally including Bangladesh alongside powerhouses like Australia and England. If Scotland arrives, they will be slotted in Group C.
Earlier, PCB extended their stance with BCB as they sent a letter to ICC supporting Bangladesh's demands. But the ICC meeting and subsequent voting has quashed all hopes for Bangladesh, as they now face a flight or fight ahead in the next 24 hours.
