BCCI fails to complete hosting requirements for World Cup

ISLAMABAD: Another meeting of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Board remained fruitless as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) failed to submit the mandatory undertakings for hosting mega events like the ODI World Cup scheduled in October this year.

A well-informed source within the ICC has said that against all the expectations the BCCI’s representatives attending the ICC board meeting didn’t come up with tax-exemption certificate and security guarantee and confirmation from the Indian government. They also failed to give an undertaking to all those including media-support staff and fans intending to travel from across the globe that they will be provided with in-time Indian visas.

“The ICC member countries have been demanding such guarantees and undertakings from the BCCI since long. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Pakistan government has already expressed concerns over safety and security of the team and fans by taking up the matter with the ICC. However, in the meeting the BCCI submitted no undertakings,” the source added.

The PCB is especially concerned about its team’s security during its prolonged stay in India. The government has already hinted that Pakistan’s participation in the World Cup largely depends on the India team’s participation in September’s Asia Cup to be hosted by Pakistan and security guarantees from the Indian government to protect Pakistan team and fans from Hindu extremists.

Surprisingly, the unconfirmed reports emerging from the ICC Board’s meeting in Dubai did not mention any urgency of matter except that the BCCI would ensure visas for the participating teams. There was no mention of granting timely visas to media men, cricket officials and the fans intending to watch selected matches.

The ICC has also kept a complete mum over the outcome of the meeting and matters relating to the BCCI’s responsibilities in special context with the tax-exemptions and participating boards’ security concerns.

“Concerns are there within member countries on the BCCI failure to submit tax exemption certificates in time and to complete all other related formalities. What the BCCI has assured is that the Board is ready to make adjustments from their share in case the Indian government refuses any tax exemption,” the source said.

It is believed that the ICC expects a whopping amount of $550 million alone from the TV rights’ distribution. Apart from that there are multiple other sources and avenues that could generate huge revenues.

Usually, the ICC announces World Cup’s schedule at least a year in advance but there has been no headway so far except that the BCCI shortlisted around ten venues to host 48 matches.