Indian cricket board confident of retaining 2021 T20 World Cup hosting rights

World body wants tax exemption for tournament, which the BCCI has failed to secure so far

Taxation issues threaten India's hosting rights for the 2021 T20 World Cup. AFP

The Indian cricket board is not worried about losing hosting rights for next year's Twenty20 World Cup due to taxation issues.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) have been in serious discussions over the tax exemption status of the 2021 T20 World Cup, which is a key issue for the world body.

The ICC has stated that getting a tax exemption is a requirement for any host nation and that the BCCI was supposed to confirm they had secured one by May 18.

ESPNcricinfo reported that the ICC has threatened to move the tournament away from India over the issue.

However, BCCI treasurer Arun Singh Dhumal told Reuters that would not happen and that negotiations are going on.

"There is no risk to the tournament," Dhumal was quoted as saying.

"That is a work in progress. We are discussing it with the ICC and we'll resolve it."

The BCCI had encountered a similar problem when it hosted the event in 2016 when the government refused to provide a tax exemption, and there has been no change in New Delhi's stance despite the board's appeals.

Failure to secure that exemption in 2016 saw the ICC withhold an equivalent sum from India's share of revenue from the governing body's grants and it appears to be taking an even harder line this time around.

"There are certain timelines within the agreements that we collectively work towards to ensure we can deliver successful world class events and continue to invest in the sport of cricket," an ICC spokesperson was quoted as saying.

"In addition to this the ICC Board agreed clear timelines for the resolution of the tax issues which we are guided by."

The BCCI reportedly wants more time to discus the tax status with the Indian government as it is apparently unable to do so right now due to the lockdown. However, the ICC believes the Indian board had enough time to seek the exemption before the lockdown was implemented.

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