Bangladesh may be missing out on this year’s T20 World Cup, but the bigger picture just turned brighter.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed that Bangladesh will qualify directly for the 2028 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, thanks to their current international ranking.
Earlier, the ICC opted not to include Bangladesh in the upcoming tournament, citing security concerns, with Scotland taking their place. But the Tigers have secured a direct berth for the next edition, which will be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
How Bangladesh qualified
In a press release issued on Wednesday, the ICC confirmed the 12 teams that will earn automatic qualification for the 2028 tournament.
As co-hosts, Australia and New Zealand qualified automatically. In addition, the eight teams that progressed to the Super Eights stage of the current T20 World Cup also booked their places for 2028 under ICC rules.
That left three more automatic spots to be decided by ICC rankings as of March 9, the day after the final of the ongoing tournament. Bangladesh, along with Afghanistan and Ireland, secured those remaining places based on their ranking positions.
20-team tournament in 2028
The 2028 edition will feature 20 teams in total. Of those, 12 have now confirmed their participation directly.
The remaining eight teams will have to fight their way through regional qualifying tournaments. The number of slots allocated to each region will depend on competitive strength and ICC assessment.
For Bangladesh, the confirmation offers stability and a long-term target. While the Tigers face disappointment this year, the assurance of a direct ticket to 2028 provides a crucial boost as they plan the next phase of their T20 rebuild.