Overview:
Cricket Scotland has refrained from contacting the governing body, showing respect for the delicate situation surrounding the BCB.
As Bangladesh’s participation in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 remains uncertain, speculation is mounting that the ICC might have to select a replacement team if the BCB chooses to withdraw. Scotland, the highest-ranked, could step in. Still, BBC sources claim that no formal discussions have taken place with Cricket Scotland.
The issue arises from the ongoing political tensions between India and Bangladesh, prompting the BCB to voice security concerns and decide against sending their team to India for the 2026 T20 World Cup. Bangladesh requested the ICC to move their group fixtures from Mumbai and Kolkata to Sri Lanka, the event’s co-host, and proposed a swap with Ireland, whose group matches are in Sri Lanka. Both of these requests, however, were reportedly declined by the ICC.
As the World Cup approaches, Bangladesh have not yet confirmed their participation. If they decide to pull out, Scotland could be called in as their replacement. Cricket Scotland has refrained from contacting the governing body, showing respect for the delicate situation surrounding the BCB.
Scotland fell short of qualifying for the T20 World Cup last year, finishing in fourth place in the European qualifiers, with the Netherlands and Italy securing the two available spots. Currently, the Scottish squad is preparing for a one-day tri-series against Namibia and Oman, set to take place in Windhoek this March.
BBC Sport reached out to the ICC to gain clarity on the procedure for selecting a replacement team if a withdrawal occurs. In the 2009 T20 World Cup, after Zimbabwe pulled out due to political issues, Scotland was chosen as the replacement team, being the highest-ranked team from a global qualifier. However, with the ICC expanding the tournament to 20 teams, regional qualification events now determine the teams that qualify.