Sat Mar 22 12:38:19 UTC 2025: ## Pakistan Claims Profit Despite Champions Trophy Controversy
**LAHORE, PAKISTAN** – The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has refuted claims of significant financial losses from hosting the recent Champions Trophy, asserting it instead made a profit of approximately USD 10 million. The statement comes after reports in Indian media suggested otherwise.
PCB spokesperson Aamir Mir and CFO Javed Murtaza directly blamed the Indian media for the negative publicity surrounding the tournament’s finances. Mir issued a strong warning to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), suggesting that India would face far greater financial losses due to the ongoing suspension of bilateral series between the two nations. He highlighted the lucrative nature of India-Pakistan matches and the fact that Pakistan will not be touring India for the next three years.
The controversy follows a decision by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to hold matches between India and Pakistan at neutral venues until 2027. This was a compromise solution following India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025. As a result, India played its matches in Dubai. This marks the first time India will play Pakistan at a neutral venue in an ICC event even while co-hosting or hosting.
The ICC’s decision reflects a long-standing impasse in bilateral relations between the two cricketing giants. Bilateral series between India and Pakistan have been absent for over a decade, with matches only occurring in ICC or Asian Cricket Council (ACC) events, often at neutral venues due to security concerns or political tensions. The last bilateral series between the two nations took place in 2005-06 (Pakistan touring India) and 2012-13 (India touring Pakistan).
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