NEW DELHI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Saturday confirmed that Scotland will replace Bangladesh in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026.
The decision comes after weeks of discussions and uncertainty, with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) eventually opting not to take part in the summit tournament, which begins on February 7.
With time running out and preparations already underway, the ICC moved ahead and finalised Scotland as the replacement side, bringing an end to the prolonged standoff.
It’s official! ICC replaces Bangladesh with Scotland in T20 World Cup 2026
Group C challenge awaits
Scotland will slot into Group C, a spot earlier held by Bangladesh. The group features England, West Indies, Italy, and Nepal, promising competitive cricket and several evenly matched contests.
For Scotland, clashes against fellow associate sides also offer a realistic chance to push deeper into the tournament.
Scotland’s group-stage fixtures
- Feb 7: West Indies vs Scotland, Eden Gardens, Kolkata – 3:00 PM
- Feb 9: Scotland vs Italy, Eden Gardens, Kolkata – 11:00 AM
- Feb 14: England vs Scotland, Eden Gardens, Kolkata – 3:00 PM
- Feb 17: Scotland vs Nepal, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai – 7:00 PM
A valuable chance for Scotland
For Scotland, this opens the door to a golden opportunity. The European side had narrowly missed out during the qualification phase but now finds itself back on the world stage. Over the years, Scotland have built a reputation for punching above their weight in global events.
In previous T20 World Cup, they may not have reached the Super 8s, but memorable performances, including a win over England and a tight contest against Australia, showed their growing confidence and depth.
