Pakistan might host the next edition of Champions Trophy

ICC has started looking for alternative venues due to tax exemption issue in India.

Pakistan have won the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 | Getty

Because of the ongoing tax issue, cricket’s governing body (ICC) has already started looking for the alternative venues for the next edition of ICC Champions Trophy, scheduled to be held in India in 2021.

It is learnt that every governing body related to sports get tax exemptions from the host government for showpiece events, but the ICC hasn't got any dispensation from the Indian government so far.

“The Indian government used to give tax exemption to the ICC till the 2011 World Cup,” an anonymous BCCI official had quoted according to The Times of India.

“However, in the case of the 2016 World Twenty20, which was held in India, the goverment refused to give any tax exemption. The ICC and its media rights holder Star Sports made repeated requests in this regard, but the tax authorities didn’t budge. Star Sports thus had to pay 10% TDS on its media rights income for the event,” he added.

The ICC had expressed its concern about the same in a board meeting in Dubai last week. Moreover, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is currently in no position to commit to the ICC about obtaining the tax exemptions. This indicates that India might lose the 2021 Champions Trophy hosting rights.

Amidst all the hue and cry between ICC and BCCI, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is now making a serious case for themselves to host the next mini World Cup. As per the reports in Ahmedabad Mirror, the ICC is thinking about PCB’s offer seriously. However, where the matches will be played is an important issue as Pakistan still remains to be the no-go zone for most of the cricketing nations.

Reports further suggest that Pakistan will have the option of hosting the allotted games in the United Arab Emirates – their adopted home for the last nine years. Moreover, they can push for a few Pakistan games in Lahore.

 
 

By Salman Anjum - 14 Feb, 2018

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