The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Saturday confirmed that Scotland will replace Bangladesh in the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, calling it a “difficult decision” after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) refused to send its team to India over security concerns.
The global governing body said it was not feasible to relocate Bangladesh’s matches to Sri Lanka so close to the tournament, and maintained that there was no credible or verifiable security threat to the Bangladesh team, officials, or supporters in India.
Why Bangladesh Was Replaced
The controversy began after the BCB declined to allow its team to travel to India, citing security concerns following the ouster of Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL. Despite repeated assurances from the ICC and independent security assessments, the BCB remained firm on its stance.
At an ICC Board meeting on Wednesday, Bangladesh’s proposal to shift matches was rejected by a 14-2 vote, with Pakistan being the only board to support BCB’s request.
“Bangladesh will no longer compete in the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, after the Bangladesh Cricket Board refused to participate in the tournament per the published match schedule,” the ICC said in an official statement.
The ICC added that the decision followed an extensive review process addressing BCB’s concerns over hosting matches in India.
ICC Gave BCB a Deadline
According to the ICC, Bangladesh was given 24 hours to confirm participation under the existing schedule.
“As no confirmation was received within the deadline, the ICC proceeded in line with its established governance and qualification processes to identify a replacement team,” the statement said.
Top ICC officials, including chairman Jay Shah, were in Dubai on Friday, and a formal communication was sent later that evening to BCB chairman Aminul Islam Bulbul, informing him of the final decision.
Scotland Step In
Scotland were named as Bangladesh’s replacement as the next-highest ranked T20I team that had narrowly missed qualification.
Currently ranked 14th in T20 Internationals, Scotland are ranked ahead of Namibia, UAE, Nepal, USA, Canada, Oman, and Italy.
Scotland will take Bangladesh’s place in Group C, alongside England, West Indies, Italy, and Nepal.
Scotland’s Group Matches
- February 7: vs West Indies – Kolkata
- February 9: vs Italy – Kolkata
- February 14: vs England – Kolkata
- February 17: vs Nepal – Mumbai
The tournament begins on February 7.
Bangladesh Government’s Role
Bangladesh Sports Ministry advisor Asif Nazrul had advised against the national team travelling to India, despite the ICC stating that the independent security assessment rated the threat level as “low to moderate”, the same as for all participating teams.
Nazrul, described as an anti-India hardliner, reportedly issued a directive on behalf of the interim government that the team could not be allowed to travel under the circumstances.
Sources said a meeting between Nazrul and Bangladesh’s national team players turned into a one-way communication, with players being told they would not be permitted to participate in the tournament.
Failed Legal Route
In a last-ditch effort, the BCB approached the ICC’s Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC). However, the move was futile as the committee does not have the authority to hear appeals against decisions made by the ICC Board itself.
The only remaining legal option for BCB is to approach the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, though the tournament will proceed regardless.
Severe Financial Blow for BCB
Bangladesh’s exit from the T20 World Cup will have major financial repercussions for the BCB.
- USD 500,000 participation fee forfeited
- Potential loss of ICC annual revenue share of nearly USD 27 million (around BDT 330 crore) — about 60% of BCB’s yearly budget
- Loss of sponsorship revenue tied to the World Cup
- Additional losses from India not touring Bangladesh for bilateral series, revenue equivalent to hosting 10 bilateral series against other nations
The financial fallout could significantly impact Bangladesh cricket in the coming years.