The reason of Bangladesh T20 World Cup 2026 withdrawal was security concern within playing in India. The ICC granted them their request to be hosted in Sri Lanka, and was succeeded by Scotland on January 25, 2026.
BREAK News: Bangladesh fell, Scotland in.
It was on January 25, 2026 that Bangladesh T20 World Cup 2026 withdrawal became official by the International Cricket Council, it being clear that this has followed weeks and weeks of uncertain security-issue arguments.
The best-ranked team (14th in T20I) was Motocall-up, who was not initially qualified to the competitions to Scotland. The tournament will be initiated on February 7, 2026.
Why Bangladesh Refuses to Play in India: The Security Concerns
The Security Crisis
India On January 3, 2026, the authorities of the Indian cricket took a request to the Kolkata Knight Riders remove their Bangladeshi fast bowler, Mustafizur Rahman, to the IPL squad. This occurred because the bilateral relations between India and Bangladesh got even worse after the defeat of Sheikh Hasina in August 2024.
BCB President Aminul Islam expressed it very clearly in his statement: “We want to play the World Cup but not in India.โโ
Three major concerns:
- Mustafizur Rahman stomped out of IPL.
- Bangladeshi reporters 80-90 denied entry passes.
- Bangladesh government advised people against traveling to India.
ICC’s Rejection
The ICC conducted security tests that indicated that there was no justification for the security of Bangladesh in India.
Their four matches in Sri Lanka were requested instead of Kolkata and Mumbai by Bangladesh. The ICC did not find this possible this close to the tournament.
The decision of the Bangladesh Cricket Board was automatic withdrawal.
Surprising Qualification to the World Cup for Scotland.
When they will occupy the place of Bangladesh in T20 World Cup in 2026, Scotland will join Group C alongside England, West Indies, Nepal and Italy.
It was an excellent occasion to play at the international level as explained by Cricket Scotland CEO, Trudy Lindblade.
Scotland’s Key Fixtures:
- February 7: vs West Indies (Kolkata)
- February 9: vs Italy (Kolkata)
- February 11: vs Nepal (Kolkata)
- February 17: vs England (Mumbai)
Key Players:
- Richie Berrington (captain)
- George Munsey (explosive beginning)
- Brad Wheal (fast bowler)
Some of the hits included the unexpected loss by Scotland at the 2022 T20 world cup and the balance with England at the 2024 world cup.
The ICC Controversy of Two Sidedness.
The 2026 T20 World Cup dispute originated from ICC officials who treated teams in different ways. The 2026 T20 World Cup dispute originated from ICC officials who treated teams in different ways. The ICC arranged Indiaโs matches to Dubai after India decided to withdraw from the 2025 Champions Trophy which Pakistan hosted. Similarly Pakistan will play its T20 World Cup matches in Sri Lanka because the country decided to avoid competing in India.
This type of treatment was demanded by Bangladesh. The ICC said a big No.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi blamed ICC in possessing two standards. It was described as discriminatory and unfair by the former captain of Pakistan Shahid Afridi.
Such standards, as Mohammed Yousuf says, cannot exist between one country and another.
Opponents mention the previous stand of ICC Chairman Jay Shah who earlier served in BCCI as Secretary casting doubt on India influence on ICC decision making.
Would Pakistan Boycott the Tournament?
Pakistan Will Play: Latest News
Pakistan was the first to discuss boycotting the tournament to address the side of Bangladesh. But things changed fast. Pakistan had already booked flights to Colombo on January 28-29, 2026. That pretty much assured them that they are playing.
Why the change?
- How much can be lost in terms of revenue because of loss of an ICC event.
- India-Pakistan football game ticket price (February 15, Colombo).
- Keeping of ICC relations.
Pakistan starts its first friendly on February 7 with Netherlands in Colombo.
Read more about how PAK vs AUS T20 World Cup Preparation 2026 in Lahore helped both teams finalise their World Cup squads before the tournament.
Tournament Effect: What has been different now.
Group C Reshuffled
The Bangladesh T20 World Cup 2026 withdrawal reshapes Group C dynamics:
Original: Bangladesh (strong team) + England + West Indies + Nepal + Italy.
New (underdogs): Scotland + England + West Indies + Nepal + Italy.
West Indians and England are now much-favored. Such lack of Bangladesh-india rivalry matches would translate in the loss of immense viewership.
The Shooting Team Irony
On January 29, 2026, Bangladesh granted their approval on the shooting team visit in New Delhi with the aim of taking part in Asian Shooting Championships.
As the shooters can safely play in India, how would cricketers be an exception? This is one of the contradictions that BCB failed to respond on.
Future Implications
The future of Bangladesh cricket is not very promising. It is the first time they have failed to enjoy the T20 World Cup since its inauguration in 2007.
Consequences:
- Bidirectional negotiations with India questionable.
- ICC rankings will drop
- Sponsorship revenue hit
- Player development suffers
The chairman of the BBC Media Committee Amzad Hossain promised: we have received the decision.
ICC Policy Questions
The tension of Bangladesh vs India over the cricket relations is an expression of the deficiency in the governance of ICC:
- Is it possible to use neutral venues?
- How transparent are security tests?
- Does BCCI have too much influence?
Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
| Withdrawal Date | January 25, 2026 |
| Reason | Security concerns in India |
| Replacement | Scotland (ranked 14th) |
| Group | Group C |
| Matches Affected | 4 matches |
| Tournament Dates | February 7 – March 8, 2026 |
| Venues | 5 in India, 3 in Sri Lanka |
| Pakistan Status | Likely participating |
Q: Can Bangladesh return?
No. Scotland is cleared up to the point of withdrawal of a team.
Q: Will Pakistan boycott?
No. In recent reports the flights to Colombo have been made by Pakistan.
Q: How come that ICC does not treat the teams at an equal level?
Opponents accuse that BCCI and its financial power influence ICC decisions. The ICC denies bias.
Q: When is India vs Pakistan?
February 15, 2026, in Colombo.
Final Thoughts
The Bangladesh T20 World Cup 2026 withdrawal exposes modern cricket’s uncomfortable reality: politics increasingly interrupts sport.
The safety of the players should be given first. Bangladesh already had legitimate grounds to be concerned. Nonetheless, the non-consistent policy used by the ICC, i.e. neutral platform between India and Pakistan, but not India and Bangladesh, indicates that the organization has definite double standards.
Scotland receives a lucky opportunity. Bangladesh is struck a fatal blow. Pakistan had adopted pragmatism instead of principle.
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