The International Cricket Council (ICC) recently clarified the absence of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials from the presentation ceremony of the 2025 Champions Trophy in Dubai. Many fans and experts were puzzled by the lack of a PCB representative on the podium, considering Pakistan was the host of the event.
According to an ICC spokesperson, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi was unavailable for the final and did not travel to Dubai. In his absence, PCB COO and tournament director Sumair Ahmad Syed attended the summit clash. The spokesperson explained that only the head of the host board, such as the president, vice president, chairman, or CEO, is invited to participate in the awards ceremony. Other board officials, even if present at the venue, are not part of the stage proceedings.
In the final, India emerged victorious by defeating New Zealand by four wickets. The Men in Blue skipper Rohit Sharma received the trophy from ICC chairman Jay Shah, while the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president presented white blazers to the winning team members.
Despite Pakistan being the official host of the tournament, all of India’s matches were held in Dubai due to security concerns that led to the board’s refusal to send their team to the neighboring country.
Following the final, former Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Akhtar expressed his disappointment over the absence of PCB officials from the presentation ceremony. Akhtar emphasized that since Pakistan hosted the tournament, a representative from the PCB should have been on stage. He expressed his dismay by stating that it was disheartening to see no one from the Pakistan Cricket Board at such a significant event.
Pakistan had a disappointing campaign in the tournament, exiting at the group stage and finishing at the bottom of Group A’s points table.
In conclusion, the absence of PCB officials from the presentation ceremony of the 2025 Champions Trophy raised eyebrows and drew criticism from former players like Shoaib Akhtar. The clarification provided by the ICC sheds light on the protocol followed for such events, emphasizing the importance of the head of the host board in the stage proceedings.
