Scotland were on Saturday confirmed as replacement of Bangladesh who pulled out of the 20-team tournament citing security concerns despite the International Cricket Council (ICC) insisting that there was no threats in to their assessment.
Key Points
- Scotland replaces Bangladesh in T20 World Cup 2026 -- stepping in after Bangladesh pulled out over security concerns.
- CEO Trudy Lindblade calls Scotland’s entry ‘unique circumstances’ and expresses support for the players.
- Ranked 14th, Scotland embraces the challenge and aims to compete strongly despite criticism.
Cricket Scotland chief executive Trudy Lindblade expressed sympathy for Bangladesh after the ICC removed the Asian side from the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 and invited Scotland as their replacement.
The tournament is scheduled to begin on February 7 across Sri Lanka and India, but Scotland’s entry has come under unusual circumstances after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) declined to participate as per the published match schedule.
While acknowledging the opportunity, Lindblade admitted the team would have preferred to qualify through the regular route.
"We certainly have (sympathy) for the Bangladesh team," Trudy Lindblade said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. "Obviously, this is not how we wanted to go to a World Cup. There is a qualification process, and nobody wants to qualify or attend or be invited to a World Cup in the way that we have done. We acknowledge it is certainly unique circumstances by our participation, and we do feel for the Bangladesh players," she added.
Scotland’s inclusion has sparked debate in some quarters, but Lindblade said criticism was inevitable and that the team’s focus remains on competing strongly.
When asked about receiving criticism after qualifying for the T20 World Cup, Lindblade said, "I wouldn't use those words. People will have their views, and they are entitled to their views. All we know is that we have been invited to participate in the World Cup. We are a team that is ranked 14th in the world. We are also a strong team that plays consistently throughout the year.
"That World Cup (qualifier) for us was not how we normally play, and therefore we are just pleased to be at this World Cup... We are happy to step in, although it is unique and challenging circumstances, and we absolutely recognise that," she added.
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