Scotland has officially replaced Bangladesh in the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, scheduled to begin on February 7 across India and Sri Lanka, after the International Cricket Council (ICC) lost patience with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), according to a report by Cricbuzz. The dramatic development brings an end to weeks of uncertainty surrounding Bangladesh’s participation and marks one of the most significant pre-tournament shake-ups in recent ICC history.

The writing had been on the wall for some time. Earlier this week, the ICC issued the BCB a firm 24-hour ultimatum, demanding that the board withdraw demands deemed inconsistent with ICC regulations and previously approved board decisions. When no acceptable resolution was reached, the global governing body moved swiftly to enforce its stance.

As per the report, ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta formally wrote to the ICC Board on Saturday, confirming that the BCB had failed to comply with a binding decision. With no room left for negotiation, the ICC exercised its authority and confirmed Bangladesh’s removal from the tournament, replacing them with Scotland.

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The communication was circulated among all ICC Board members and also marked to BCB president Aminul Islam, who sits on the ICC Board. Simultaneously, the ICC extended a formal invitation to Cricket Scotland, confirming the associate nation’s entry into the 2026 T20 World Cup.

🚨 BREAKING 🚨

ICC has officially replaced Bangladesh with Scotland at the ICC men’s T20 World Cup 2026

Scotland will be placed in Group C alongside Italy, Nepal, West Indies and England pic.twitter.com/Yi3qNm2TTc

— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) January 24, 2026

Scotland have officially replaced Bangladesh in the World Cup #ICCT20WORLDCUP @CricketScotland

— Vikrant Gupta (@vikrantgupta73) January 24, 2026

While Cricket Scotland CEO Trudy Lindblade did not immediately comment, sources indicated that discussions between ICC headquarters in Dubai and officials in Edinburgh began early Saturday, suggesting the decision was already being implemented at an operational level.

Scotland’s inclusion is backed by strong recent performances and steady progress in ICC events. Currently ranked 14th in the world, Scotland narrowly missed qualification from Group B in the 2024 T20 World Cup, finishing level on points with England but falling short on net run rate. They also stunned West Indies in the 2022 edition and topped their group in 2021, notably defeating Bangladesh along the way.

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Placed in Group C of the preliminary stage, Scotland will open their campaign against West Indies in Kolkata on February 7, followed by fixtures against Italy and England, before travelling to Mumbai to face Nepal.

Bangladesh’s exit serves as a clear signal of the ICC’s increasingly uncompromising approach to governance and compliance ahead of major global tournaments.