India, Jan. 23 -- Bangladesh's chances of playing the T20 World Cup 2026 are getting slimmer by the hour. On Thursday, their participation took a severe hit after the Bangladesh Sports Ministry ordered the Bangladesh Cricket Board and its players not to travel to India due to security concerns. The decision has all but confirmed Bangladesh's exit, with the ICC likely to release an official statement sometime today or tomorrow and confirm Scotland as a replacement.

And to think that all of this could have been avoided. A cricket-crazy nation like Bangladesh has always added to the excitement of the game on a global stage. And it's unfortunate that politics and external factors have played a role in what could be a significant step back fo...