In a surprising turn of events, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was noticeably absent from the award ceremony of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final held in Dubai. Despite being the official hosts of the tournament, no PCB representative was present on stage during the presentation, sparking controversy and criticism from the cricket community.

No PCB official in the award ceremony

The Champions Trophy 2025 concluded with India claiming the title by defeating New Zealand. However, the post-match ceremony was marred by the absence of any PCB officials, which is unusual for the host nation. Typically, the host country’s cricket board is present during such ceremonies.

ICC Chairman Jay Shah handed over the Champions Trophy to India skipper Rohit Sharma. Having witnessed the heartbreak of the ODI World Cup 2023 closely as the BCCI Secretary, the delight on the face of Shah after India’s victory was evident.

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Reasons for the absence of PCB officials

PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi was unable to attend due to prior commitments as Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Interior, according to reports. However, PCB CEO Sumair Ahmed, who was also the tournament director, was present at the venue but was not invited to the stage during the final ceremony. Media reports suggest that a misunderstanding might have led to Ahmed’s exclusion.

Reaction of former Pakistan cricketers

The absence of PCB officials has been met with disappointment and criticism from former Pakistan cricketers like Shoaib Akhtar and Wasim Akram. Akhtar expressed his dismay, stating that it was odd for no PCB representative to be present, especially since Pakistan was the host. The PCB is expected to address the matter with the ICC to clarify why its CEO was not included in the ceremony.

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