BCCI to request for additional one month's time to decide on hosting T20 World Cup: Report

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is planning to request one month's extension from the ICC to decide on hosting the T20 World Cup in India. According to news agency PTI, the ICC will hold a virtual meeting on June 1, where a host of issues will be discussed, including the upcoming T20 World Cup. If the report is to be believed, the Indian board is planning to request another extension to decide on hosting the marquee event. As of yet, the BCCI doesn't want to let go of the opportunity of hosting the T20 World Cup in India. 

Ganguly to visit UAE to discuss IPL 2021 

BCCI President Sourav Ganguly is expected to attend the virtual meeting on Tuesday, where he will reportedly ask for one month's time to decide. Ganguly was supposed to attend the ICC meeting in person but it has now been learnt that he will only leave for the UAE on Wednesday. Ganguly will be visiting the UAE to hold a meeting with Emirates Cricket Board to discuss the nitty-gritty of hosting the remainder of IPL 2021. The BCCI will hold another SGM after July 1 to discuss the organisation of the T20 World Cup in India and will only inform the ICC about its decision post that meeting. 

"The COVID-19 cases are reducing but obviously it is still not a situation where we can firmly commit to hosting the World T20. Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah are right in asking for one month's time to decide. The other issue that BCCI is facing currently is tax waiver that ICC gets for its global events. In this post-pandemic world and a hostile economic climate which is pretty hostile, the Indian government providing a tax relief close to Rs 1000 crore for a cricket event seems like wishful thinking. But then if BCCI can pull it off, good for them. In any case, we are not likely to give up on our hosting rights even if it is held in the UAE," the source was quoted as saying by PTI. 

The BCCI source told PTI is that the main aspect of hosting the World Cup in India is the ongoing COVID-19 situation, which can turn worse at any moment as witnessed during the IPL. The source added that permissions from the government is also an issue as cases are still rising at a significant pace. The report said that if the World Cup is to be held in India, it should be confined to a single city for group stages and another venue for the finals. The source also said that tax waiver is another issue that the BCCI will have to take a look into as the ICC wants a waiver of Rs. 1000 crore in tax for the event. The source added that in any case, the BCCI is keen on hosting the World Cup even if it means shifting the tournament to the UAE. 

(Image Credit: PTI)