Bangladesh’s removal from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 has resulted in a major financial setback for the country’s cricket board. The International Cricket Council officially replaced Bangladesh with Scotland after the Bangladesh Cricket Board refused to send its team to India due to security concerns.
The T20 World Cup will be held in India and Sri Lanka from February 7. The ICC took the final decision after weeks of discussions with the BCB. During this period, the ICC provided repeated security assurances. Independent security reports also rated the risk level in India as low to moderate. Despite this, the BCB continued to demand that their matches be shifted entirely to Sri Lanka.
The ICC Board rejected Bangladesh’s request. The proposal was voted down by a margin of 14-2. On January 21, the ICC issued a final 24-hour deadline asking Bangladesh to confirm participation. The deadline passed without a response. Bangladesh later approached the ICC’s Dispute Resolution Committee. However, the committee could not overturn the Board’s decision. With time running out, the ICC formally removed Bangladesh and placed Scotland into Group C.
ICC replaces Bangladesh with Scotland after board refuses to tour India
The financial impact on Bangladesh cricket is expected to be severe. By missing the group stage alone, Bangladesh will lose between USD 300,000 and USD 500,000 in participation fees. This equals around INR 2.7 to 4.6 crore.
There is also a risk of a heavy fine. Under the ICC’s Member Participation Agreement, the ICC can impose a penalty of up to USD 2 million for refusing to tour without valid justification. This amount is close to INR 18 crore.
The biggest loss comes from revenue sharing. Bangladesh could lose up to USD 27 million, which is nearly INR 225 crore. This accounts for almost 60 percent of the BCB’s yearly income. The money supports player salaries, domestic cricket, youth programs, and infrastructure.
Bangladesh’s absence will also hurt commercial exposure. Sponsorships and endorsement deals linked to World Cup visibility are expected to suffer. Relations with India may also be affected. This could impact future bilateral series, which are a major source of revenue for Bangladesh cricket.
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