Bangladesh had asked for their games to be switched from India, citing safety concerns amid growing tensions between the countries.

Relations between the South Asian neighbours have soured since former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India in 2024, following deadly protests.

India has not agreed to send her back despite several requests, and violent protests broke out after Sharif Osman Hadi – a prominent student leader in Bangladesh – was shot dead.

India itself has raised concerns over violence targeting members of the minority Hindu community in Bangladesh.

In December, a Hindu man was accused of blasphemy and beaten to death by a mob in an incident that resulted in protests by Hindu nationalist groups in India.

Against that political backdrop, Indian Premier League (IPL) side Kolkata Knight Riders released Bangladesh bowler Mustafizur Rahman in January after being instructed to do so by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

In response, Bangladeshi authorities banned broadcasts of the IPL in the country.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board then requested that their World Cup fixtures be played in Sri Lanka.

The International Cricket Council – the sport’s governing body – rejected that request, saying there was an “absence of any credible security threat” and gave the BCB a final 24 hours in which to declare their participation.

When that deadline passed, Scotland were invited to the tournament.

The ICC said it was keen not to establish “precedents that could undermine the neutrality and fairness of ICC events”.