NEW DELHI, May 27: Buoyed after Indian government’s decision to allow tax exemption to all international sports events in the country, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) may bid for 2011 edition of World Cup. BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla on Friday said, “It has not been decided but the Government’s decision on Thursday has definitely paved the way.”
“As of now, 2011 is long way to go and bidding for the same has not started yet. So it’s a bit premature to confirm whether we would go for bidding or not. But definitely this is a possibility,” Shukla said.
Describing the government’s decision as a ‘historical’ one, Shukla said, “it is of far-reaching consequences and enabled us to bid for events like Mini World Cup, Asia Cup besides World Cup 2011.”
India first hosted World Cup in 1987 along with Pakistan and the final took place in Kolkata where Allan Border’s Australia beat England to lift the trophy.
The 1996 edition of sporting extravaganza took place in the sub-continent with India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka sharing hosts’ honour.—Agencies