Former Pakistan cricketers Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhtar expressed their deep disappointment over the absence of any Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) representative during the presentation ceremony of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final in Dubai. Despite Pakistan being the host country for the tournament, there was no PCB official present on stage, leaving both players and fans perplexed.
On Sunday, March 9, India triumphed over New Zealand by four wickets in the final to win their first ICC 50-over title in 12 years. However, what caught the attention of many was the noticeable absence of Pakistani representation in the official ceremony. Despite Pakistan being the host nation for the tournament, no PCB official appeared on stage to present the trophy or medals.
Akram voiced his frustration during the “Dressing Room” show, stating, “As far as I know, Chairman Saab (PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi) wasn’t well but the people that came from there (PCB) were Sumair Ahmad Syed (Chief Operating Officer of PCB) and Usman Wahla (Director of International for PCB) but no one was there on the stage.”
He expressed how odd the situation felt, adding, “We were the host, weren’t we right? How come even the COO of PCB or whoever it may be who was representing Chairman Saab, why weren’t they on stage? Were they not invited? I don’t know what is the story. It definitely looked odd to me while sitting here. It was imperative that Pakistan should have had representation in any form.”
Shoaib Akhtar also took to social media to voice his dismay, posting on X (formerly Twitter), “India have won the ICC Champions Trophy. There was one odd thing: no one from the Pakistan Cricket Board during the presentation ceremony. Pakistan were the host of the Champions Trophy, but there was no representative of Pakistan who was standing. No one was there to present the trophy. It is beyond me. Think about it. The tournament was hosted by us, but there was nobody there. Feeling very down to see that.”
According to NDTV Sports, a source close to the PCB provided some background, explaining that while the PCB CEO, Sumair Ahmad, was present at the venue, he was not invited to join the ceremony. The source clarified, “PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi didn’t go to Dubai because of prior commitments as federal minister for interior but the PCB COO was sent to represent Pakistan at the final and closing presentation.” However, for reasons still unclear, the PCB official was not called onto the stage, where the ICC Chairman Jay Shah, BCCI President Roger Binny, and BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia presented the trophy, medals, and jackets to the players.
The source speculated that a communication breakdown might have led to the oversight, suggesting that the COO may not have been able to coordinate effectively with the ICC organizers, which resulted in Pakistan not being represented on stage. Given this, the PCB is expected to formally address the issue with the ICC.
Adding to the confusion, it was also noted that India had refused to play their matches in Pakistan, citing security concerns, and a hybrid model was agreed upon, allowing India to play all their games, including the final, in Dubai. This situation left many wondering why, despite Pakistan being the host, no representative was present to acknowledge the achievement of the event and its participants.
Both Akram and Akhtar’s comments have sparked a debate over the representation of Pakistan at such a major global sporting event, with fans and experts alike questioning the absence of any PCB official during such an important moment for the nation’s cricketing history.
ICC responds
According to sources, the ICC responded to the PCB with an explanation: PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi had been invited to participate in the ceremony but did not attend.
The ICC’s practice is to invite the head, vice president, or CEO of the host board to the ceremony. Other officials, even if present, are not part of any stage ceremony.
The ICC reiterated that it follows consistent guidelines for all its tournaments, regardless of location.
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Photo Credit: Instagram Photos of @wasimakramliveofficial, @iamshoaibakhtar, @icctrophytour
