Controversies in cricket are common on the field, but they have increasingly extended off it as well. In some cases, these issues have escalated to the point where teams have refused to participate in marquee tournaments, citing security concerns and political or governmental disputes between nations.

The ICC has announced that Scotland will replace Bangladesh at the #T20WorldCup.

Details 📲 https://t.co/M61nOzx2fF

— ICC (@ICC) January 24, 2026

Related Article：A Costly Stand：What Bangladesh Out of T20 World Cup Could Really Trigger?

A similar situation has been linked to the Bangladesh Cricket Board, which is scheduled to participate in the forthcoming ICC T20 World Cup. Bangladesh has reportedly refused to travel to India, one of the co-hosts of the tournament. This is not the first time ICC Tournament boycott; such incidents have occurred several times in the past. In previous instances, teams raised concerns regarding the host of ICC Tournaments, which ultimately affected their participation.

History of ICC Tournament Boycott

With disputes involving the Indian government yet to be resolved, the Bangladesh government has reportedly issued clear instructions not to participate in the forthcoming marquee tournament. As a result, the upcoming T20 World Cup would mark Bangladesh’s first-ever ICC Tournament boycott. Cricket has witnessed ICC tournament boycotts on multiple occasions in the past. Despite such withdrawals, the sport has continued to move forward—sometimes with teams receiving walkovers, and in other cases with replacement teams stepping in after a participant pulled out.

Instances When Teams Refused to Play in the ICC Events

#1 Australia and West Indies Decline to Play in Sri Lanka in 1996 Cricket World Cup

Just weeks before the start of the 1996 Cricket World Cup, a major bomb explosion at the Central Bank in Colombo resulted in the deaths of nearly 100 people, with several others seriously injured. Citing serious security concerns, Australia and the West Indies refused to travel to Sri Lanka, one of the co-hosts of the tournament. As a result, both teams forfeited their group-stage matches in Sri Lanka and dropped points. Sri Lanka and Australia later faced each other in the final of the tournament, where Sri Lanka went on to win their maiden World Cup title at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

#2 England and New Zealand Refused to Play in Zimbabwe and Kenya Respectively in 2003 World Cup

England refused to play against Zimbabwe in Harare during the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup, citing safety concerns for its players. Despite the ICC directing the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to proceed with the fixture, the ECB maintained that doing so would be unreasonable.

England requested that the match be relocated outside Zimbabwe, but the ICC did not approve the request. As a result, the Pool A match between Zimbabwe and England, scheduled for February 13 in Harare, was awarded as a walkover to Zimbabwe after England forfeited the game. Zimbabwe benefited significantly from the walkover, finishing third in Pool A with 14 points and advancing to the Super Sixes. England, meanwhile, narrowly missed out on qualification, finishing fourth with 12 points. In the same tournament, New Zealand refused to travel to Kenya, another host nation, due to security concerns. The match was awarded as a walkover to Kenya. Despite forfeiting the fixture, New Zealand still managed to qualify for the Super Sixes.

#3 India Did Not Travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025

Conflicts between India and Pakistan are long-standing, dating back to the partition of 1947. Cricket, given its immense following in both countries, has often been affected by these tensions. While the two nations stopped playing bilateral series after 2013, they have continued to face each other in neutral venues during multi-nation tournaments.

Pakistan was awarded hosting rights for ICC Champions Trophy 2025 as it was named as the host of ICC Tournaments for the first time in 29 years. However, India did not receive government clearance to travel to Pakistan, resulting in its matches being scheduled at a neutral venue in Dubai. India went on to win the tournament without losing a single match. Pakistan, meanwhile, failed to secure a win and was eliminated in the group stage.

Final Words

Host of ICC tournaments are severely affected when an ICC Tournament boycott occurs, as they make heavy investments in infrastructure. Such withdrawals lead to significant revenue losses from visiting teams, broadcasters, and international spectators, while the host nation’s tourism sector also suffers.