The recent discussions between the BCB and ICC regarding Bangladesh’s 2026 T20 World Cup fixtures in India highlight a long-standing issue in cricket: security and political tensions often overshadow the game.
Over the decades, several teams have opted out of traveling to host nations, leading to forfeits, diplomatic shifts, and surprise tournament outcomes.
1996 ODI World Cup: Australia, WI refuse to play in SL
The 1996 ICC tournament saw Australia and the West Indies refuse to play in Sri Lanka due to a civil war and a recent bombing in Colombo. Despite a solidarity match played by a joint India-Pakistan team to prove the venue was safe, the two giants forfeited their points.
Ironically, Sri Lanka used that momentum to go on and win the entire tournament, defeating Australia in the final.
FOLLOW US ON OUR FB PAGE
2003 ODI World Cup: England skip Zimbabwe; NZ give Kenya a miss
In 2003, politics and safety collided in Africa. England refused to play in Zimbabwe to protest Robert Mugabe’s regime, while New Zealand skipped their match in Kenya following a bombing in Mombasa.
The ICC refused to move the games, awarding walkovers instead. These points helped Kenya reach a historic semi-final, while England was knocked out in the first round.
2009 T20 World Cup: Zimbabwe pull out
By 2009, the tension between the UK and Zimbabwe peaked again. To avoid a visa crisis for the ICC T20 World Cup in England, Zimbabwe reached a “win-win” agreement with the ICC and voluntarily withdrew. They claimed they did not want to be “gatecrashers” to the event. Scotland was selected to replace them, and Zimbabwe still received their participation fee.
2016 U-19 World Cup: Australia withdraw
In 2016, Australia withdrew from the Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh, citing a “threat to Australian interests.” This followed their earlier withdrawal from a bilateral series in the same country. While the ICC expressed disappointment at the decision, Ireland was called in as a last-minute replacement to fill the gap.
ALSO READ- Big Blow to South Africa ahead of T20 World Cup
2025 Champions Trophy: India say no to Pakistan
The most significant shift occurred during the 2025 Champions Trophy. With India refusing to travel to Pakistan due to a lack of government clearance, a “hybrid model” was established.
For the 2024–2027 cycle, any tournament hosted by India or Pakistan will see matches involving the rival nation played at neutral venues. As a result, India played their 2025 matches in Dubai and went on to win the trophy.