The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) stated that although India has assured the Bangladeshi cricket team of complete security, it was not possible to change the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup schedule at this late stage.
BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla made the comment after it was confirmed by the International Cricket Council that Scotland would replace Bangladesh in the upcoming tournament.
The ICC ruling was revealed today on Saturday, 24th January 2026 after the week long negotiations between Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and international cricket’s governing body.ICC. Bangladesh withdrew after the Bangladeshi government refused to allow a national team visit to India.
“We wanted Bangladesh to play, and we also assured full security, but since they have made this decision, it is very difficult to change the entire schedule at the last moment. This is why Scotland was brought in,” Rajeev Shukla said as quoted by India Today.
Tensions had risen earlier when the BCCI reportedly told IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman for the 2026 season, citing undisclosed “recent developments.” The BCB took the move as a sign that Indian authorities may be unable to ensure the safety of Bangladeshi nationals.
The ICC then engaged in an extended consultation process with the BCB, having many rounds of conversations over a three-week period. The meetings took place both digitally and in person, with the ICC claiming that the interaction was transparent and constructive at all times.
As part of the process, the ICC investigated the BCB’s allegations and ordered independent security assessments by internal and foreign experts. It also provided detailed security and operational plans including federal and provincial procedures, as well as strengthened and phased security measures for the event.
ICC Sticks to Original Schedule
Such guarantees were reinforced at numerous phases of the process, including during discussions with the ICC Business Corporation (IBC) Board. The ICC’s evaluations concluded that there was no credible or demonstrable security danger to the Bangladesh national team, its officials, or its supporters in India.
The ICC has for now, after considering the implications of data and a larger perspective, declined to tweak the originally-listed itinerary. The board stressed that the main consideration was to ensure fair play for all teams taking part in the tournament and not to establish any trends for future ICC events.
Following Wednesday’s meeting, the IBC Board requested that the BCB submit confirmation of Bangladesh’s participation in the event within 24 hours. With no confirmation before the deadline, the ICC followed its established governance and qualification mechanism to choose a replacement side.
Scotland were called up as late replacement as they were the highest ranked T20I team which had not qualified for without a full membership. They are ranked 14th in the ICC T20I rankings, above several other teams who will contest in the tournament; Namibia, United Arab Emirates, Nepal, United States of America, Canada, Oman and Italy.
