The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has clarified its position after Bangladesh was replaced by Scotland in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
The BCCI said India had given full security assurances to the Bangladesh cricket team. However, it added that changing the tournament schedule at a late stage was not possible.
BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla made the comments after the ICC officially confirmed Scotland as Bangladesh’s replacement.
Security assurances given, schedule unchanged
The ICC announced the decision on Saturday, January 24, 2026. This ended a week-long discussion between the ICC and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).
Bangladesh pulled out of the tournament after its government refused to allow the team to travel 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 asked IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman for the 2026 season. The reason given was unspecified “recent developments.”
The BCB saw this as a sign that Indian authorities might not be able to guarantee the safety of Bangladeshi nationals.
After this, the ICC held several discussions with the BCB over more than three weeks. These meetings took place both online and in person.
The ICC ordered independent security checks by internal and external experts. It also shared detailed security and operational plans for the tournament.
According to the ICC, no credible or verified security threat was found for the Bangladesh team, officials, or fans.
The ICC decided not to change the published schedule. It said this was important to protect fairness and the integrity of the event.
When Bangladesh failed to confirm participation within the deadline, the ICC selected Scotland as the replacement.
Scotland was chosen as the highest-ranked T20I team not originally qualified. They are currently ranked 14th in the ICC T20I standings.
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