Reports from global media suggest the International Cricket Council is considering contingency plans that could affect India’s role as host for major future tournaments.
India is currently scheduled to host the 2029 Champions Trophy and the 2031 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, but ongoing tensions with Pakistan may prompt the ICC to explore alternative venues. One potential option under discussion is Australia, known for successfully staging marquee events like the 2015 World Cup and the 2022 T20 World Cup.
The backdrop to these discussions is a long-standing lack of bilateral cricket between India national cricket team and Pakistan national cricket team, with the last bilateral series played in 2012-13. Since then, political tensions have spilled into international fixtures, forcing tournament organizers to adopt hybrid hosting models.
Under the arrangement in place for the current global cycle, Pakistan and India agree not to host each other’s matches on home soil, meaning fixtures involving the rival teams are shifted to neutral locations such as the United Arab Emirates for the 2025 Champions Trophy or Sri Lanka for the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Recent uncertainty during the T20 World Cup saw Bangladesh withdraw from playing matches in India over security concerns. That episode highlighted how geopolitics can threaten tournament schedules and revenues, prompting the ICC to weigh backup plans more seriously.
Officials and cricket insiders say the ICC’s interest in backup venues aims to protect the commercial value of future global events and ensure smooth logistics, even if political conflicts persist.
While no final decision has been made, discussions around possible alternatives reflect broader anxieties about staging major events in a climate where key teams may be unwilling to travel for safety or diplomatic reasons.
At this stage the situation remains fluid, and further ICC statements or board decisions will be required before any reallocation of hosting rights is confirmed.
