The International Cricket Council (ICC) is reportedly holding discussions about shifting major future tournaments from India to Australia, as geopolitical tensions between Pakistan and India continue to cast a shadow over the sport, Australian media has reported.

 

According to reports, the administrators have identified backup venues to prevent disruption to upcoming events, with Australia emerging as a potential alternative host for the ICC Champions Trophy 2029 and the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2031, both of which India and Bangladesh are currently scheduled to host.

 

The report comes as the ongoing ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, exposed the fragility of cricket's biggest rivalries. 

 

Pakistan initially announced a boycott of its February 15 group-stage match against India in solidarity with Bangladesh, who were removed from the tournament after refusing to travel to India over security concerns. 

 

Pakistan ultimately reversed course after high-level deliberations involving the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), ICC representatives and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). A key factor in the decision was avoiding a potential financial loss of $250 million in case Pakistan withdrew.

 

Friction between the two countries on the cricketing front predates the May 2025 military conflict, which ended after United States (US) led mediation.

 

In December 2024, the PCB and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) agreed to a hybrid model for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, hosted by Pakistan, under which neither team would play ICC events on the other's soil. Instead, their matches would be held at neutral venues throughout the 2024 to 2027 rights cycle. 

 

The last bilateral series between the two sides took place in 2012 to 2013, when Pakistan toured India, and New Delhi has since barred its team from touring Pakistan.

 

Tensions have remained visible on the field as well. During the Asia Cup 2025, the first major tournament since the two countries went to war, Indian players and their captain declined the customary post-match handshake with their Pakistani counterparts, a gesture repeated at the recent T20 World Cup fixture.

 

Australia has a strong track record of hosting Pakistan-India matches at high-profile events. 

 

The 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup fixture at Adelaide Oval drew a crowd of 41,587, while the 2022 ICC Men's T20 World Cup match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground attracted 90,293 spectators, one of the largest crowds in the tournament's history.