The World Cricket Association (WCA) on Sunday expressed serious concern over Bangladesh’s exit from the upcoming T20 World Cup, calling it “a sad moment” for the sport and one that requires “deep reflection”. The ICC on Saturday confirmed that Scotland will replace Bangladesh in the tournament beginning February 7, stating that the “difficult decision” was taken as it was not feasible to meet the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) request to shift their matches to Sri Lanka so close to the event.
“The withdrawal of Bangladesh from the T20 World Cup, and resulting absence of a valued cricketing nation from cricket’s pinnacle international T20 event, is a sad moment for our sport, the Bangladesh players and fans, and one that requires deep reflection,” WCA CEO Tom Moffat said in a statement.
WHY WAS BANGLADESH REPLACED?
The BCB had refused to allow its team to travel to India, citing security concerns in the wake of Mustafizur Rahman’s ouster from the IPL. What began as the board’s demand to relocate its matches to Sri Lanka soon turned into a test of governance, precedent and the limits of accommodation for the ICC, which ultimately decided to replace Bangladesh with Scotland for the marquee event.
The ICC, however, reiterated that there was no verifiable security threat to the Bangladesh national team, officials or supporters in India and said it was not appropriate to amend the published event schedule. “Cricket is at its strongest when every team and every player is treated with respect, supported appropriately and consistently, and able to participate on fair terms. The game is at its best when all participants are genuine contributors to its success.”
The WCA, a global body for professional cricketers with members from several countries (excluding Indian players), said the episode reflects deeper structural concerns. “In recent times, the WCA has become increasingly concerned by broader trends in the sport, including agreements not being honoured, rights being eroded, and a lack of meaningful consultation with players and their representatives – all of this amounts to a careless approach to people that should not belong in cricket,” Moffat said.
At the ICC Board meeting on Wednesday, Bangladesh’s proposal to shift matches was defeated by an overwhelming 14-2 margin, with only Pakistan supporting it.
WHY SCOTLAND REPLACED BANGLADESH?
Scotland have been awarded a World Cup berth as the highest-ranked side (14th) outside the teams that had already qualified for the tournament. Their recent World Cup record underlines why they were next in line. In the 2024 edition, Scotland finished third in Group B, level on points with England but edged out on net run rate.
Two years earlier, in 2022, they famously defeated West Indies in the group stage but once again ended third, missing out on the Super 12. In 2021, Scotland topped their group after beating Bangladesh — the very team they now replace — only to endure a winless Super 12 campaign.
WCA CALLS FOR UNITY
Calling on the game’s leadership to avoid division, the WCA urged a collaborative approach. “Rather than allowing division or exclusion to take hold, we call on the game’s leaders to work with all stakeholders, including Governing Bodies, leagues and players, to unite the sport, not divide it, and in the shared interest of the game’s long-term health and success,” Moffat said.
He concluded by saying, “On behalf of players and their associations around the world, we continue to offer our support to the Bangladesh players, who miss out on an opportunity to compete on the world stage, and to their association (CWAB). We reiterate our commitment to work constructively with the BCB and all other stakeholders to strengthen and grow our game globally.”
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