India’s Champions Trophy, World Cup hosting in jeopardy as ICC explores Australia switch after Pakistan chaos: Report

India reportledy risk losing hosting rights for the 2029 and 2031 ICC events following the political turbulence that unfolded during the ongoing T20 World Cup

Until 2031, India are scheduled to host two major global men’s tournaments, the 2029 ICC Champions Trophy and the 2031 ODI World Cup. Under the hybrid-model agreement signed in December 2024 between the ICC, BCCI and PCB ahead of the 2025 Champions Trophy, India and Pakistan will not host each other in global tournaments, whether men’s or women’s events. Instead, neutral venues will be identified. Dubai hosted all of India’s matches during last year’s Champions Trophy, where the PCB were the official host, while Sri Lanka was added as a co-host when the BCCI staged the T20 World Cup this year.

Fans wave the national flag during a practice session ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026 cricket match between India and Netherlands in Ahmedabad (PTI)

However, according to a report in The Sydney Morning Herald, India risk losing hosting rights for the 2029 and 2031 ICC events following the political turbulence that unfolded during the ongoing T20 World Cup. The report claims the ICC is considering Australia “among alternative options” amid tensions that disrupted tournament planning.

The unrest reportedly began after the BCCI removed Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL roster amid escalating regional tensions in early January. Bangladesh subsequently urged the ICC to shift their World Cup matches out of India citing security concerns, a request the ICC did not uphold. With no resolution in sight, Bangladesh were eventually withdrawn from the tournament, a move that angered Pakistan and led to threats of a boycott.

The report further states that the chaos triggered contingency discussions among senior cricket administrators, with alternate host nations being evaluated to prevent similar disruptions in future global events.

Under the current arrangement, India and Pakistan will not host each other’s matches. The same understanding could extend to Bangladesh, although discussions between the BCCI and BCB are yet to take place following Bangladesh’s recent elections.

If tensions continue to affect scheduling certainty and broadcaster commitments, the ICC could consider shifting the 2029 Champions Trophy and the 2031 ODI World Cup (currently earmarked for India and Bangladesh) to Australia, which is already set to co-host the 2028 T20 World Cup alongside New Zealand.

Australia has previously staged high-profile India-Pakistan clashes successfully. The 2015 ODI World Cup match in Adelaide drew 41,587 spectators, while a record 90,293 packed the MCG for their 2022 T20 World Cup encounter. The Australian time zone is also viewed favourably for the subcontinental television market, particularly for prime-time matches.