World Cup Controversies: 6 Instances Teams Refused to Play, Decisions Made Off-Field

• The 1996 ODI World Cup saw Australia and West Indies refuse to play in Sri Lanka due to civil war and a bomb blast in Colombo.
• In the 2003 Cricket World Cup, England refused to play in Zimbabwe and New Zealand declined to play in Kenya over political and security concerns.
• Zimbabwe withdrew from the 2009 T20 World Cup due to strained relations with the UK, replaced by Scotland.
• Australia pulled out of the 2016 U-19 World Cup in Bangladesh citing persistent security threats.
• India refused to travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, leading to a hybrid model with UAE as a neutral venue for India's matches.

Why It Matters: Political tensions and security concerns have repeatedly led teams to refuse playing in World Cup matches.