
‘Pack of lies’: Pakistan rebuffs Indian media’s claims of Champions Trophy losses
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has rebuffed the Indian media claims that Pakistan suffered a loss of $85 million by hosting the Champions Trophy and the Green Shirts played only one home game in the tournament.
The adviser to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, Amir Mir, and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Javed Murtaza on Thursday debunked recent reports regarding the financial aspects of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and the alleged losses claimed by Indian media.
Mir strongly condemned the false narratives being spread by Indian media and certain anti-Pakistan elements, emphasising that such misinformation campaigns aim to undermine Pakistan’s successful hosting of the ICC Champions Trophy and create unnecessary controversy around the PCB’s financial stability.
“We need to expose the propaganda of the Indian media and the anti-Pakistan elements who are running a shop of lies — unfortunately, even some Pakistani media outlets are broadcasting it,” Mir stated.
Addressing financial matters, Mir revealed that the ICC Champions Trophy is expected to generate a profit of three billion rupees, exceeding the initial projection of two billion rupees.
“The estimated profit from the ICC Champions Trophy stands at three billion rupees, surpassing the initial expectation of two billion. This revenue is generated from gate money and ground fees,” he said.
He clarified that the PCB spent nothing on hosting, as the ICC covered all $70 million. A full audit is pending.
“PCB did not contribute any money for the ICC Champions Trophy; ICC covered all expenses with a budget of 70 million dollars, and a complete audit is yet to be conducted.”
Highlighting the PCB’s financial strength, Mir stated that the board has already paid four billion rupees in taxes to the government while its funds continue to grow.
“The PCB has paid four billion rupees in taxes to the government while its financial reserves continue to increase. The Champions Trophy was successfully organised, with all major teams playing in Pakistan,” he affirmed.
Discussing infrastructure development, Mir praised PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi’s leadership in upgrading stadiums to international standards.
“Chairman Mohsin Naqvi took on the challenge of stadium upgrades, completing 90% of Gaddafi Stadium’s reconstruction, turning it into a valuable national asset,” he stated.