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22 SPORTS January 30, 2026 www.desitalk.com – that’s all you need to know Cricket-Bangladesh Replaced By Scotland At T20 World Cup B angladesh have been replaced by Scotland for next month’s Twen- ty20World Cup after the South Asian side refused to travel to co-hosts India, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Saturday. The decision follows weeks of un- certainty, during which the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) repeatedly said it would not play its scheduled matches in India, citing safety concerns following soured political relations between the neighbours. Bangladesh had asked the ICC to move their games to the tournament co-hosts Sri Lanka instead, but the governing body rejected the demand, dismissing any security threat to the team. “Following a meeting onWednesday, the Bangladesh Cricket Board had been given a 24-hour time frame to confirm whether its team would participate in India as scheduled,” the ICC said in a statement. “As no confirmation was received within the deadline, the ICC proceeded in line with its established governance and qualification processes to identify a replacement team.” Scotland have replaced Bangladesh in Group C, joining England, Nepal, Italy and West Indies. “Scotland are the next-highest ranked T20 international team that had originally missed T20World Cup qualification. They are currently ranked 14th, which in fact is ahead of competing teams Namibia, the United Arab Emirates, Nepal, the United States, Canada, Oman and Italy,” the ICC added. Scotland’s national cricket body said they had accepted the ICC’s invitation to compete in their fifth straight T20World Cup. “This is an exciting opportunity for Scotland’s players to compete on the global stage in front of millions of sup- porters,” Cricket Scotland chief executive Trudy Lindblade said in a statement. “We also acknowledge 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.” Reuters has contacted the BCB for comment. PROTESTS NEAR BANGLADESH HIGH COMMIS- SION Last month, hundreds of people protested near Bangladesh’s High Com- mission in New Delhi after Hindu factory worker Dipu Chandra Das was beaten and set on fire in Bangladesh’s Mymensingh district by a crowd that accused him of making derogatory remarks about Prophet Muhammad. A total of 12 people were arrested in connection with his death. The incident worsened relations be- tween India and its neighbour, with ties already strained after Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to New Delhi following protests against her. Political tensions have spilled into cricket. Bangladesh bowler Mustafizur Rah- man was dropped from this year’s Indian Premier League despite signing with its Kolkata franchise. Bangladesh responded by banning IPL broadcasts in the coun- try and demanding to playWorld Cup matches in Sri Lanka. The standoff mirrors previous tensions in South Asian cricket. For the Champions Trophy last year, the Indian cricket board (BCCI) stuck to its policy of not touring Pakistan because of the strained political ties between the bitter neighbours, who play each other only in ICC events. Like for the 2023 Asia Cup in Pakistan, a ‘hybrid model’ was agreed on under which India were allowed to play their Champions Trophy matches in Dubai to salvage the tournament. Under the agreement running until 2027, Pakistan will play in a neutral venue for any ICC event, including the T20World Cup where they are scheduled to play their matches in Sri Lanka. The 20-teamWorld Cup will begin on February 7. -Reuters PHOTO:REUTERS/FRANCIS MASCARENHAS/ FILE PHOTO I ndia captain Suryakumar Yadav re- gained form ahead of the team’s title defence at next month’sWorld Cup as he and Ishan Kishan smashed rapid fifties to secure their seven-wicket victory over New Zealand in the second Twenty20 International in Raipur on Friday. Suryakumar hammered an unbeaten 82 after Kishan’s blistering 76 as India chased down a target of 209 with 28 balls to spare for a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. Put into bat, New Zealand posted a commanding 208-6 with captain Mitchell Santner top-scoring for them with an unbeaten 47. India rested pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and did not risk spin-bowling all- rounder Axar Patel, who suffered a thumb injury in the first match, ahead of the T20 World Cup. New Zealand began briskly against India’s depleted attack before openers Devon Conway (19) and Tim Seifert (24) fell in successive overs. Rachin Ravindra (44) smashed four sixes and two fours in his 26-ball blitz before falling to spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who also got rid of the dangerous Glenn Phillips (19). Santner and Zak Foulkes, who made 15 not out, took New Zealand past the 200-mark. India wobbled in their chase losing Sanju Samson in the first over while fel- low opener Abhishek Sharma fell for a first-ball duck in the next. Kishan counter-attacked in a spectacu- lar manner hitting four sixes and 11 fours in his 32-ball knock. Suryakumar’s first fifty in 24 T20 Internationals was not a chanceless knock, though, and the India captain was dropped three times including once by his New Zealand counterpart Santner. Shivam Dube made 36 not out off 18 balls in a dominant batting display by the hosts. The teams now move to Guwahati for the third match on Sunday. -Reuters Cricket-India Captain Suryakumar Regains Form In Big Win Against New Zealand Cricket – ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 – South Africa v Bangladesh – Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, India – October 24, 2023 A Bangladesh fan with a flag in the stands. PHOTO:REUTERS/SATISH KUMAR Cricket – Asia Cup – Group A – India v Pakistan – Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates – September 14, 2025 India’s Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube celebrate winning.