Key points
- ICC rejects Bangladesh security concerns
• Tournament hosted by India, Sri Lanka
• Scotland accept invitation, begin preparations
EDINBURGH: Scotland have confirmed their participation in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 after accepting an invitation from the International Cricket Council to replace Bangladesh, who withdrew from the tournament citing security concerns over travelling to India.
The ICC officially announced the decision on Saturday, confirming that Scotland would take Bangladesh’s place in Group C of the 20-team event, which will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8. Bangladesh had earlier requested that their fixtures be moved out of India, but the ICC rejected the plea, stating there was no “credible or verifiable” security threat.
Cricket Scotland chief executive Trudy Lindblade said the board had no hesitation in accepting the invitation. She described the opportunity as a significant moment for Scottish cricket, allowing the team to compete on the global stage before millions of viewers.
Preparations
Lindblade added that preparations were already underway, with the squad set to arrive in India soon to acclimatise to local conditions.
Cricket Scotland chair Wilf Walsh said the invitation was personally conveyed by ICC chair Jay Shah and confirmed that the team was “willing and ready to go”.
Although Scotland finished fourth at last year’s Europe Regional Final, their inclusion was based on ICC T20I rankings, where they sit 14th, making them the highest-ranked side not originally qualified.
Scotland will open their campaign against the West Indies in Kolkata on February 7, followed by matches against Italy and England, before concluding group play against Nepal in Mumbai.
