Pakistan eye to defend Champions Trophy on home soil

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is reportedly making a serious pitch to host Champions Trophy 2021 in Pakistan, as the International Cricket Council (ICC) tournament is expected to be taken away from India on tax-related issues.

An Indian site reported that with no indications of obtaining tax waivers for the global tournaments, particularly for the Champions Trophy in 2021, the ICC is looking forward to host the event in the same time zone as India's and the PCB is trying to make most of the vacuum.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is 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.

As it 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.

The PCB officials did not offer a comment over the development, but those in the direct knowledge of the ICC thinking say the PCB offer will be considered seriously, the Ahmedabad Mirror citing its sources reported.

The PCB 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.

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.