Indian cricket board is almost $25 million down

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's cricket board has lost almost $25 million from the scrapping of two one-day games against England and the cancellation of the 2008 Champions Trophy and this month's tour to Pakistan.

"The working committee noted there would be a reduction in revenue in the current year to the effect of 1.2 billion rupees ($24.87 million) as a result of the cancellation of two ODIs against England and India's tour to Pakistan," said Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary N. Srinivasan.

"This includes the loss of revenue arising out of the postponement of ICC Champions Trophy 2008," he added in a statement.

"It is to be noted that while there will be a decrease in revenue the BCCI will still have a healthy excess of income over expenditure for the current year."

The Indian government refused permission for the tour to Pakistan due to strained bilateral ties after blaming Islamist militants based in that country for the November attacks which killed 179 people in Mumbai.

India had been scheduled to play three tests, five one-dayers and a Twenty20 international.

Security concerns also forced the last two games of the home one-day series against England to be scrapped at the end of 2008.

The Champions Trophy has been put back to September 2009 after last year's tournament in Pakistan was postponed due to security concerns.