Mumbai: The Indian Cricket Board has released its program from 2023 to 2027, and the board has kept the columns for games against Pakistan ‘blank’. The Indian team will not play any bilateral series against Pakistan in the coming five years.
India and Pakistan share strained political relations and for that reason, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) can’t take any decision on bilateral series with Pakistan until it gets a nod from the Government of India (GoI).
India will play a number of bilateral matches across formats, though it has been reduced from the previous cycle (163 to 141). This has been done due to an ICC event every year and a bigger dedicated window for the Indian Premier League (75-80 days every season).
However, BCCI secretary Jay Shah said that in this cycle the quality of content has been improved.
Besides, multi-nation tournaments, the Indian men’s team will play 38 Tests (20 home and 18 away), 42 ODIs (21 each home and away), and 61 T20Is (31 home and 30 away) in the 2023-2027 cycle.
According to the media report, India will be playing five-match Test series against both England and Australia on a home-and-away basis every two years i.e. one home series every four years. In addition, there will also be standalone tours (home and away) of 3 ODIs and 5 T20Is. Thus, India will play 5 Tests, 3 ODIs, and 5 T20Is in the cycle (Home and Away) against Australia as well as England comprising one annual series (either red ball or white ball) every year in this cycle.
The 2023 World Cup is slated to be in India and on the same, the BCCI is in talks with the Indian government, hopeful of sorting out the tax exemption issue. As per ICC rules, the host country must get a tax exemption from its government, but India has no rule in place for granting the full exemption. And therefore, the Board would need to deliver a tax exemption or a tax solution to the ICC for this event.
BCCI has conveyed the tax issue to the Government and is currently in talks with the Ministry of Finance, GoI. The board said that they are hopeful of getting a 10% tax order shortly.
(Vinayak)
