PCB eyeing next edition of Champions Trophy?

KARACHI: Last year Pakistan won the ICC Champions Trophy in England. In 2021, they could, if things pan out, host the prestigious 50-over contest.

The next edition of the Champions Trophy was allotted to India but the International Cricket Council (ICC) is seriously considering the idea of taking away the tournament from the Indian cricket board (BCCI) because of tax issues.

Sensing an opportunity, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has expressed an interest in hosting the tournament. And according to sources, the ICC is willing to listen.A source in the PCB told ‘The News’ on Thursday that the Board is certainly interested in approaching the ICC to allot the Champions Trophy to Pakistan.

According to the source, top PCB officials are confident that in three years time Pakistan will be fully ready to host a tournament of such magnitude.PCB’s hopes have been raised by the information that the ICC is looking to for an alternate venue in the same time zone as India.

Agencies add: The BCCI is currently in no position to commit to the ICC about obtaining the tax exemptions and the world body is now seriously thinking of exploring other avenues, rather other venues. As is well known now, the ICC has not managed to obtain the required waivers for the 2016 World Twenty20 despite serious efforts from its officials. ICC Chief Executive Dave Richardson and its general manager Campbell Jamieson met Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in Delhi six months back but the meeting, evidently, has not cut much ice.

There will be some issues if the Champions Trophy is allotted to Pakistan.Where the matches will be held is an important issue as Pakistan still is a no-go zone for the world teams but one is talking of an event that is more than three years away. The PCB, one understands, will have the option of hosting the allotted games in the United Arab Emirates - as it has been doing for the last nine years — and it could push for a few Pakistan games in Lahore.

Tax exemption is not a problem in the UAE but if the matches were to be played in Sharjah, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, who should be considered as hosts — Pakistan or UAE? The ICC has not yet gone into such technicalities but is looking at alternatives away from India. It will finalise on this in the next few months and the PCB offer is very much under consideration.