ICC Drops Bangladesh After India Travel Refusal
The International Cricket Council has replaced Bangladesh with Scotland in the T20 World Cup 2026.
The decision comes after Bangladesh refused to send its team to India for the tournament.
India is set to host the event along with Sri Lanka.
The tournament is scheduled to begin on February 7, 2026.
According to media reports, the ICC informed the Bangladesh Cricket Board through an official email on Friday.
The email confirmed Bangladesh’s exclusion from the competition.
The move followed the BCB’s communication that the Bangladesh government denied permission to travel to India.
Bangladesh expressed concerns over player safety and security.
These concerns were linked to strained political relations between the two countries.
The BCB requested that Bangladesh’s matches be shifted to Sri Lanka instead.
Sri Lanka is the joint host of the upcoming T20 World Cup.
However, the ICC rejected this request earlier in the week.
The governing body stated that venue changes were not possible at this stage.
It also stressed the importance of maintaining tournament integrity.
ICC Cites Security Clearance and Scheduling Constraints
The ICC said its decision was based on detailed security assessments.
Independent security reviews were also conducted.
All reports concluded there was no credible threat to Bangladesh players or officials in India.
The ICC confirmed that players, match officials, media personnel, and fans would be safe.
It stated that all Indian venues met international security standards.
The board added that changing match locations could disrupt the entire schedule.
The ICC also warned against setting a dangerous precedent.
Allowing venue changes without proven threats could affect future tournaments.
The board emphasised fairness and consistency for all participating teams.
Despite these assurances, Bangladesh remained firm on its stance.
The BCB said it would take the matter to the ICC’s Dispute Resolution Committee.
The board hopes the committee will review the case independently.
PCB Opposes ICC Decision, Calls It Unfair
The decision has drawn criticism from the Pakistan Cricket Board.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi addressed the media regarding the issue.
Naqvi is also the chairman of the PCB.
He said Pakistan would take a position based on government instructions.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is currently out of the country.
A final decision will be announced after his return.
Naqvi described the ICC’s decision as unfair.
He accused the governing body of applying double standards.
He said this concern was raised during the ICC Board meeting.
According to Naqvi, Bangladesh is a major stakeholder in international cricket.
He insisted that Bangladesh should remain part of the tournament.
The PCB believes excluding teams over political issues damages the sport.
With Bangladesh out, Scotland has been included in the T20 World Cup 2026.
The move offers Scotland a major opportunity on the global stage.
At the same time, it has intensified debate within the cricketing world.
The controversy continues as teams prepare for the tournament.
The ICC’s handling of the situation remains under close scrutiny.
