In a dramatic turn of events ahead of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has ejected Bangladesh from the tournament after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) refused to send its team to India. Scotland is now set to replace Bangladesh in the competition, which begins on February 7.

The BCB's decision stems from security concerns and logistical issues, as they sought to have their matches moved to a neutral venue. The request to shift their fixtures out of India was officially rejected by the ICC, who stated that all necessary safety assurances had been provided and that no credible threat existed to warrant altering the tournament schedule. The ICC also maintained that acceding to Bangladesh's request would set a problematic precedent so close to the start of a major global tournament.

Tensions escalated after the BCCI's move to oust Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL. The BCB then linked its participation in the T20 World Cup to this "single, isolated and unrelated development concerning one of its player's involvement in a domestic league". According to an ICC spokesperson, this linkage had no bearing on the tournament's security framework or the conditions governing participation in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

Despite the ICC's assurances and a final ultimatum issued on Wednesday, the BCB remained firm on its stance. Asif Nazrul, the Bangladesh government's sports advisor, stated that the security risk regarding playing in India remained unchanged and that they were not convinced the ICC could ensure the safety of their entire team, journalists, and spectators. Nazrul also stated that they expected the ICC to provide justice by considering their genuine security risks and allowing them to play in Sri Lanka.

The BCB approached the ICC's Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC) seeking relocation of their matches. However, this appeal was struck down, as the DRC isn't set up to entertain appeals against its own board.

With Bangladesh refusing to reconsider, the ICC initiated the process of replacing them with Scotland. Scotland is the highest-ranked team outside the list of already qualified nations and has been on standby as per ICC tournament regulations. While the inclusion of Scotland will require minor adjustments to group compositions, it is not expected to disrupt the overall structure of the competition.

The ICC is expected to make an official confirmation about Scotland's participation over the weekend. ICC chairman Jay Shah is currently in Dubai, where a final decision on the matter is expected. This marks the first time Bangladesh will miss an ICC Men's T20 World Cup since the tournament's inception. The T20 World Cup is set to begin on February 7 and will be held across multiple venues in India and Sri Lanka.