BCCI to ask government for ICC Cup clearance

The Indian cricket board will approach the government within the next two days for clearance to host next year's International Cricket Council (ICC) Knockout tournament, a senior board official said on Friday.

The international council is yet to announce a venue for the tournament and had set India a deadline of April 30 to confirm if they were willing to host the event.

"We will talk to the government at the earliest and ask for their guidance and also for the necessary tax exemptions required to host the ICC Knockout tournament," an Indian board official who did not wish to be identified told Reuters.

"I hope we can get the clearance on time," he added.

Prospects for hosting the tournament have been clouded by the refusal of federal Sports Minister Uma Bharti to send a letter to the finance ministry asking for the tax exemptions needed to host the tournament.

Her move came after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) threatened to withdraw from major events such as the World Cup and the ICC Knockout Cup until the government made its playing policy clear.

Bharti responded to the threat by saying there was no need for the government to explain anything to the cricket board.

The boycott threat came after the BCCI received a government letter saying the team was not to play at "non-regular" venues such as Sharjah and Singapore for the next three years.

The government had earlier this month refused to allow the team to play in a tri-nation one-day tournament in Sharjah that also involves Pakistan. It also cancelled last year's scheduled test tour of Pakistan.

Relations between Pakistan and India have been strained because of continuing political tensions over the disputed Himalayan state of Kashmir.

"Our idea (with the boycott threat) was not to antagonise the government," the BCCI official said. "We always look to the government for direction in these matters."

Mail Cricket Editor