Advisor to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman, Amir Mir, and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Javed Murtaza on Thursday addressed recent reports regarding the financial aspects of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and the alleged losses claimed by Indian media.

The press conference was held in response to reports by Indian media alleging that the PCB suffered a loss of $85 million (INR 869 crore) by hosting the Champions Trophy, with claims that Pakistan played only one home game in the tournament.

Amir Mir strongly condemned the false narratives being spread by Indian media and certain anti-Pakistan elements, emphasizing 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.” — Aamir Mir

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 organized, 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.

The renovation of Gaddafi Stadium is a significant step toward ensuring top-notch facilities for both players and fans, setting a benchmark for future cricket events in Pakistan.

The ICC Champions Trophy was a complete success, as six out of seven other participating teams felt safe and secure playing in the host nation.

However, the Indian team found it difficult to travel to Pakistan due to so-called security concerns and was set to play its league matches in Dubai.

In the end, it was team India that had the advantage, lifting the Champions Trophy title by defeating New Zealand at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium and claiming their third title.