Scotland have accepted the ICC invitation to replace Bangladesh in the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup. The team will face England, Italy, Nepal, and West Indies in Group C, with matches in Kolkata and Mumbai.

Scotland have officially accepted an invitation from the ICC to replace Bangladesh in the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, starting on February 7 in India and Sri Lanka, Cricket Scotland confirmed on Saturday.

This move comes after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) refused to participate under the tournament’s published schedule, which required them to play their group-stage matches in India.

ICC confirms Scotland’s entry

Earlier on Saturday, the ICC confirmed that Scotland will step in for Bangladesh at the mega event. The BCB had requested a venue change due to security concerns, citing the release of fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL 2026 as a factor. The ICC’s decision brings an end to weeks of uncertainty after the BCB repeatedly sought group-stage adjustments and even suggested swapping groups with Ireland.

Scotland squad prepares for the tournament

Cricket Scotland said the men’s squad has been training for several weeks ahead of scheduled tours and will now travel to India immediately to acclimatise before the tournament begins. Details around the squad selection for the T20 World Cup will be shared in the coming days.

Wilf Walsh, Cricket Scotland Chair, said: “I welcomed a call from ICC Chair Jay Shah earlier today confirming that Scotland will receive an invitation to play at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. I was pleased to accept on behalf of our team, who are willing and ready to go. We thank the ICC for this opportunity and look forward to competing with some of the best sides in the world in India in the coming weeks.”

Scotland’s Group C fixtures

Scotland will now face England, Italy, Nepal, and the West Indies in Group C. Three of the matches will be held in Kolkata, and one will take place in Mumbai.

The team enters the T20 World Cup as the next-highest-ranked T20I side that originally missed qualification, having finished in fourth place during the qualifiers. Scotland is currently ranked 14th in T20I rankings, ahead of teams like Namibia, UAE, Nepal, USA, Canada, Oman, and Italy.

Interestingly, Scotland previously competed in the 2009 T20 World Cup in England, replacing Zimbabwe, which withdrew due to political reasons.

Scotland leaders comment on T20 World Cup opportunity

“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. We are grateful to the ICC for extending this invitation. This is an exciting opportunity for Scotland’s players to compete on the global stage in front of millions of supporters.

“We also acknowledge that 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,” said Trudy Lindblade, Cricket Scotland Chief Executive.

(Inputs From IANS )