Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has officially missed ICC’s 24-hour ultimatum, effectively sealing their exit from 2026 T20 World Cup, Cricbuzz reported. As of January 23, 2026, the governing body is moving forward with plans to invite Scotland as a replacement side for the marquee event set to begin next month.

Standoff Reaches its End

The crisis, which began after Bangladesh cited security risks in India, reached a boiling point when BCB failed to provide a formal response to ICC’s final deadline. Despite a flurry of internal meetings in Dhaka involving government officials and players, no official communication reached ICC headquarters in Dubai.

BCB President Aminul Islam Bulbul and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul have already told local media they would not travel to India; the lack of a formal "Yes" or "No" to ICC by the stipulated time has triggered the tournament's contingency protocols.

ICC’s Position

For ICC, the "decision tree" was binary: participation or replacement. With the board having already voted 14-2 against moving matches to Sri Lanka, ICC is now expected to formalize Scotland’s inclusion in Group C alongside England, West Indies, Nepal, and Italy.

BCB Firm On Its Stance

BCB President Aminul Islam Bulbul insists Bangladesh wants to play the T20 World Cup but not in India, pushing for a neutral venue like Sri Lanka. Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul rejects ICC conditions over security concerns, highlighting a political standoff as ICC eyes Scotland.

Financial Implications for Bangladesh

Beyond the sporting setback, the fallout for Bangladesh cricket is expected to be severe. Early estimates suggest the BCB could forfeit around BDT 325 crore (approximately INR 240–245 crore) in ICC revenues linked to World Cup participation alone, with some projections putting the annual hit at nearly BDT 3.25 billion once wider distributions are factored in.

On top of this, domestic sponsorships, broadcast contracts, and bilateral scheduling, particularly a potentially lucrative India tour later in the year, face renegotiation or collapse, with analysts warning that the board’s overall income for the current financial year may shrink by 60 percent or more if Bangladesh is formally replaced in the tournament.

On top of this, domestic sponsorships, broadcast contracts, and bilateral scheduling, particularly a potentially lucrative India tour later in the year, face renegotiation or collapse, with analysts warning that the board’s overall income for the current financial year may shrink by 60 percent or more if Bangladesh is formally replaced in the tournament.