ICC Issues Strict Warning: Travel to India or Face Replacement by Scotland
International cricket officials have taken a firm stance regarding the upcoming tournament schedule. The International Cricket Council (ICC) Board has officially rejected a request from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to relocate their T20 World Cup matches outside of India.
Sources indicate that the proposal was defeated decisively in a board vote, with majority of directors voting against the move and only two in support. It is understood that aside from the BCB representative, only the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) supported the request to shift venues.
Strict Deadline Issued
Following this high-stakes meeting, the global governing body issued a clear warning. If the Bangladesh team continues to refuse travel to India for their scheduled fixtures, they will be removed from the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup. Scotland has been identified as the immediate replacement team should this occur. The BCB has been granted one final day to brief their government and convey a final decision.
Venue Dispute Details
The T20 World Cup is set to begin on February 7. currently, Bangladesh is scheduled to play three league matches in Kolkata - a venue popular with fans from neighboring Odisha - and one match in Mumbai. However, the BCB, backed by their government, declined these fixtures citing security concerns. They proposed swapping groups with Ireland to play their matches in Sri Lanka instead.
Despite Sri Lanka being a co-host, the ICC showed no willingness to alter the groups or schedule this close to the tournament start date.
Why Scotland?
If Bangladesh withdraws, Scotland will enter Group C. Although Scotland failed to qualify directly after finishing behind the Netherlands and Italy in the European Qualifiers, they now stand as the first-choice replacement.
Background of Tension
This standoff stems from deteriorating political ties and administrative disputes. Tensions reportedly escalated after the BCCI asked an IPL franchise to release Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman. Consequently, the Bangladesh government stated the national team would not play in India.
With the clock ticking, the cricketing world waits to see if Bangladesh will accept the schedule or if Scotland will take their place on the global stage.
