ICC ODI World Cup 2023, which is scheduled to take place in India, might be moved out of the country due to tax issues with the Indian government. The World Cup 2023 is scheduled to take place in October-November 2023.
International Cricket Council (ICC) has requested that BCCI obtain tax exemptions from the Indian government. According to ICC policy, the host nation must get the necessary tax exemptions from its government. However, the BCCI has informed the ICC that “nothing can be done in this regard” and the governing body is free to take the tournament out of India if it wants, News18 reported.
In 2016 during ICC T20 World Cup, the ICC had managed to host the tournament after they received an interim tax benefit from the Indian tax authorities to hold 10.3 percent surcharge from India’s revenue share, a legal battle the BCCI is fighting right now.
For the 2023 World Cup too, the ICC has managed to procure another such interim tax order, the news website reported. However, this time too, BCCI is unhappy with the development.
The ICC has asked BCCI to get the required tax solutions from the Indian government. But in 2016, the Indian government did not agree to give any exemptions. And so far, there isn't a confirmation that the government might agree to give exemptions this time either.
In 2016, the government had refused exemptions following which the BCCI had lost nearly Rs 190 crore. This amount was deducted by the ICC from India’s revenue share as a tax surcharge, a case that the BCCI has now taken up with the ICC tribunal.
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For the 2023 World Cup, the government may once again deny a tax exemption. Meanwhile, the ICC and the BCCI may once again confront each other over the issue as the global body has already raised a tax bill of 21.84 percent (a tax liability of close to Rs 900 crore) from the broadcast revenues for the event, according to News18.
Last time, the ODI World Cup took place in India in 2011, when India also managed to win the tournament. However, at that time, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka were the co-hosts. But in 2023, India is the only host for ODI World Cup 2023.
