Scotland Confirm T20 World Cup 2026 Participation; Reveals Travel Plan After ICC Invite

Scotland were officially confirmed as Bangladesh’s replacement for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 and announced immediate plans to travel to India.

Scotland were officially confirmed as Bangladesh’s replacement for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 and revealed plans to travel to India immediately. Cricket Scotland said the squad is already preparing to acclimatise to local conditions ahead of the tournament, which begins on February 7.

The confirmation came after the International Cricket Council (ICC) formally invited Scotland to take Bangladesh’s place following the latter’s withdrawal over security concerns.

Bangladesh maintained their stance despite assurances from the ICC, which led to Scotland being drafted in as the replacement side. In a letter expressing gratitude to the ICC, Cricket Scotland accepted the invitation and acknowledged the unique circumstances under which the opportunity arose.

“Earlier today I received correspondence from the ICC asking if our men’s team would play at the Men’s T20 World Cup, and we have accepted,” Cricket Scotland chief executive Trudy Lindblade said in a statement published on the board’s official website.

“We are grateful to the ICC for extending this invite. This is an exciting opportunity for Scotland’s players to compete on the global stage in front of millions of supporters. We also acknowledge this opportunity has arisen out of challenging and unique circumstances.”

“Our squad have been training for some weeks in preparation for upcoming tours and are now preparing to arrive in India imminently to acclimatise to local conditions, ready to play and contribute to what should be a fantastic ICC Men’s T20 World Cup,” Lindblade added.

How Scotland Replaced Bangladesh in T20 World Cup

Scotland were officially named as Bangladesh’s replacement following a decisive ICC meeting held in Dubai on Friday, chaired by ICC chairman Jay Shah. Bangladesh had earlier informed the ICC of their decision to boycott the tournament, citing security concerns and stating that their apprehensions were not adequately addressed.

In a final attempt to resolve the matter, the Bangladesh Cricket Board wrote to the ICC requesting that the issue be referred to the dispute resolution committee. However, the committee ruled that it could not act as an appeal forum, which allowed the ICC to move forward with its decision. With Bangladesh unwilling to reconsider their position, the ICC proceeded to replace them.

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Scotland were selected based on ICC rankings, despite not qualifying directly through the European qualification pathway. The team has featured in five previous T20 World Cups and participated in the 2022 and 2024 editions. While they failed to progress to the Super 8 stage in those tournaments, they impressed with competitive performances against top sides. Notably, Scotland pushed both Australia and England close during the 2024 edition.

Following Bangladesh’s withdrawal, Scotland have been placed in Group C alongside England, the West Indies, Italy and Nepal. Their campaign will begin on February 7 against the West Indies in Kolkata.

They will then face Italy on February 9 at Eden Gardens, followed by a match against England at the same venue five days later. Scotland will conclude their group-stage fixtures against Nepal in Mumbai on February 17. Cricket Scotland are expected to announce their 15-member squad for the tournament in the coming days.