The International Cricket Council has removed Bangladesh from the upcoming T20 World Cup after the team declined to travel to India for the tournament, sources told media on Saturday.

Scotland have been named as Bangladesh’s replacement for the event, which is scheduled to begin on February 7. The decision was taken after Bangladesh failed to formally confirm their participation within the deadline set by the global cricket body.

Earlier in the week, Bangladesh had requested that their matches be shifted from India to Sri Lanka, the tournament’s co-hosts under the hybrid model. The request was rejected, following which the ICC gave Bangladesh 24 hours to either confirm travel plans or face replacement.

ICC decision conveyed after deadline lapse

According to sources, senior ICC officials were present in Dubai on Friday when the decision was finalised. An email was later sent to Bangladesh Cricket Board chairman Aminul Islam Bulbul, informing him that the board had been replaced after failing to respond officially within the stipulated time.

An ICC source said the Bangladesh board did not communicate its decision directly to the governing body before addressing the media in Dhaka, which was cited as a breach of protocol.

Bangladesh’s Sports Ministry advisor Asif Nazrul had earlier advised the team against travelling to India, raising security concerns despite assurances from the ICC.

Scotland await formal confirmation

While Cricket Scotland has said it has not yet received official communication, sources indicate that Scotland will participate in the tournament in Bangladesh’s place.

Scotland are scheduled to play their group-stage matches against West Indies on February 7, Italy on February 9 and England on February 14 in Kolkata, followed by a fixture against Nepal in Mumbai on February 17.

India wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan delivered a timely reminder of his explosive ability, producing a match-winning 76 off just 32 balls against New Zealand in the second T20I on Friday. The knock marked a strong response after a modest outing in the series opener and came at a crucial time as India fine-tune combinations ahead of the T20 World Cup.

Backed by the selectors for a top-order role ahead of Shubman Gill, Kishan admitted that doubts crossed his mind when he walked in to bat during the Raipur encounter. However, the left-hander said he was clear about one thing — trusting himself and playing his natural game.

“I asked myself one question, can I do it again or not? And I had a very clear answer. I felt I could bat through the innings and play good shots. I just needed to get runs somewhere to answer my questions,” Kishan said after the match.

He added that the focus was not on the outcome but on playing positive cricket. “Even if I got out, I just wanted to play good cricket. That was it,” he said.

Kishan also benefited from batting alongside India captain Suryakumar Yadav, with whom he shares a long association from their time together in the Indian Premier League. The partnership helped India maintain momentum as Kishan attacked the New Zealand bowling from the outset.

Reflecting on his return to the national side, Kishan credited his domestic performances for restoring confidence. He said scoring consistently at that level played a key role in helping him carry form into international cricket.

“Sometimes it’s important to do it for yourself — to answer your own questions about how you’re batting and whether you’re capable of playing for India. That’s why domestic cricket was important for me,” he said.

With three matches still remaining in the T20I series against New Zealand, Kishan stressed that the job is far from finished, both for him and the team, as India look to build rhythm and consistency going forward.

India produced a controlled bowling effort through the middle phase, led by Kuldeep Yadav, but New Zealand managed a late acceleration to post a 200-plus total after being put in to bat in the second T20 International of the five-match series in Raipur on Friday.

New Zealand began positively after losing the toss, with their openers making good use of the powerplay. India, however, pulled things back soon after, with Harshit Rana providing the opening breakthrough before Varun Chakravarthy struck to apply pressure during the early overs.

Kuldeep Yadav emerged as India’s most effective bowler on the day. The left-arm spinner dismissed Rachin Ravindra, who top-scored for New Zealand with a brisk 44, and later removed Glenn Phillips to halt the visitors’ momentum during the middle overs. His spell ensured New Zealand lost wickets at regular intervals despite maintaining a healthy run rate.

India captain Suryakumar Yadav’s decision to introduce Shivam Dube also worked in India’s favour, as the medium-pacer accounted for Daryl Mitchell with a well-disguised delivery. With Varun Chakravarthy and Harshit Rana picking up a wicket each, New Zealand were reduced to five down at one stage.

However, the visitors recovered strongly in the latter part of the innings. Late-order contributions, including finishing touches from Mitchell Santner, helped New Zealand regain momentum and push the total beyond 200, giving them a competitive score on a good batting surface.

India went into the match without Jasprit Bumrah, who was rested, while Axar Patel missed out due to a finger injury sustained in the first T20I. The inclusion of Kuldeep Yadav and Harshit Rana added variety to the bowling attack as India looked to build on their opening-match win in the series.