CHANDIGARH (India), June 8: Just days after Indian cricket board secretary S.K. Nair had favoured a joint bid for 2011 Cricket World Cup, its president Ranbir Singh Mahendra on Wednesday said the board was keen to hold the event independently. “We will definitely bid for World Cup 2011. Our choice will be to go independently,” Mahendra told reporters here.

He, however, did not rule out possibility of bidding for the event with any other Asian country.

“We are open to holding the World Cup independently or jointly with other Asian cricket playing countries,” he added.

He said decision to bid for the World Cup was taken after Indian government decided to amend Income Tax Act to give tax exemptions to sporting events in the country.—Agencies