ICC removes Bangladesh from T20 World Cup 2026 after India travel refusal; Scotland steps in as Pakistan raises boycott calls. Photos: X.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Saturday officially removed Bangladesh from the Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) refused to travel to India, citing security concerns. Scotland has been confirmed as Bangladesh’s replacement in the tournament.
The BCB was given a 24-hour deadline on Wednesday to make a final decision on participation. However, BCB president Aminul Islam and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul confirmed that traveling to India was not an option. Despite one final attempt on Friday to resolve the issue, the impasse remained, leaving Bangladesh effectively out of the tournament.
Bangladesh had initially announced on January 4 that it would not play its T20 World Cup matches in India. This decision followed the release of player Mustafizur Rahman by his Indian Premier League (IPL) team amid escalating tensions between the two countries. Bangladesh subsequently submitted a formal request to the ICC to shift its matches to Sri Lanka, which was ultimately rejected.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has expressed solidarity with Bangladesh, supporting their request to relocate matches from India. Questions now loom over whether Pakistan will follow suit in boycotting the tournament.
PCB Chief Mohsin Naqvi stated that Pakistan is awaiting guidance from the Prime Minister regarding the national team’s participation in the T20 World Cup.
“The Pakistan government will decide the Pakistan team’s participation in the T20 World Cup,” Naqvi was quoted by a senior Pakistani journalist.
Naqvi criticised the ICC’s handling of the situation, claiming Bangladesh faced double standards.
“Bangladesh is being treated unfairly. We said this at the ICC board meeting, that the ICC cannot have double standards, one system for one team and a different one for another. Bangladesh should play in the World Cup,” he added.
He emphasised that Bangladesh is a major stakeholder in the tournament and that the injustice should be addressed.
“You cannot have double standards, where one country can make whatever decision whenever and do the total opposite for another country. That is why we have taken the stand that Bangladesh is being treated unfairly and should be allowed to play the World Cup in any case,” Naqvi said.
Naqvi also suggested the possibility of a “hybrid model” for Bangladesh, similar to arrangements made between Pakistan and India in the past. “Bangladesh is the same member as Pakistan. If you have done this favour with Pakistan and India, then you should do the same with Bangladesh,” he said.
He further noted: “One country cannot dictate another. If this dictation is attempted, Pakistan will have its own stance.”
When asked about a potential boycott, Naqvi said the government would make the decision once the Prime Minister returns. On whether a contingency plan exists if Pakistan also decides not to participate, he quipped, “Let the decision come first; we have Plan A, B, C, D.”
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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