NEW DELHI, July 18: India is unlikely to host big cricket events such as the World Cup and the Champions Trophy unless the government relaxes its tax laws, the ICC president said on Sunday.

India was scheduled to host the 2004 Champions Trophy but the event was shifted to England, where it will be held in September, because the Indian government offers no tax exemption for revenue earned from sports events held in the country.

"We'll definitely seek tax exemptions before we host an ICC event in India," ICC president Ehsan Mani told reporters. "The ICC is not in a position to give away a big percentage of its income to any government agency." The concern over taxes is one of the main items on the agenda when top ICC officials meet their Indian counterparts. -Reuters