In a dramatic late change to the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, Scotland has been confirmed as the replacement team for Bangladesh, which has withdrawn from the tournament over a dispute regarding match locations.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board had sought to relocate its scheduled group-stage fixtures—set to be played in Indian cities—to Sri Lanka, citing unspecified safety concerns. Tournament organizers, however, stated that no credible security threat had been identified and deemed it unworkable to alter the match schedule so close to the event’s start on February 7.
With Bangladesh declining to participate under the published conditions, the International Cricket Council moved to fill the vacancy. Scotland, as the highest-ranked T20 side not originally qualified, has been awarded the place. The team will now compete in Group C alongside England, Italy, Nepal, and the West Indies.
An official statement from the ICC confirmed the decision, noting the replacement was made following Bangladesh’s refusal to adhere to the fixture list. The global governing body reiterated that the request to move matches was rejected due to a lack of verifiable security justification.
Cricket Scotland is now preparing for a swift entry into the tournament, which includes a high-profile group match against England.
