PCB to lodge protest with ICC over CT presentation ceremony 'snub'
Cricket
PCB COO Sumair Ahmed was present at the venue but was not called on stage during ceremony
LAHORE (Dunya News) - A fresh controversy has emerged over the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) decision to exclude a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) representative from the closing ceremony of the Champions Trophy in Dubai.
Reports suggest that the PCB is set to raise concerns with the ICC regarding the absence of its COO and Tournament Director from the official stage.
According to sources, PCB Chief Operating Officer Sumair Ahmed, who also served as the tournament director, was present at the venue but was not called on stage during the ceremony.
"PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi was unable to travel to Dubai due to his commitments as the federal interior minister, so the PCB COO was sent to represent Pakistan at the final and closing event," a source explained.
However, for reasons yet to be clarified, the PCB representative was not invited onto the podium, where ICC Chairman Jay Shah, along with Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Roger Binny and Secretary Devajit Saikia, gave medals, trophies, and jackets to players.
The source speculated that a miscommunication between PCB officials and ICC organisers might have led to this oversight, ultimately leaving the official host of the tournament without a representative on stage.
Meanwhile, former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar also voiced his disappointment over the situation.
"India won the Champions Trophy, but I noticed no PCB representative was present at the post-match ceremony. Pakistan was the host nation—why was nobody from the PCB there? I don’t understand it," Akhtar remarked in a video posted on social media platform 'X.'
"This is the world stage, and Pakistan should have had its presence felt. It’s disappointing to see this happen," he added.
During the ceremony, BCCI President Roger Binny presented the traditional white jackets to the Indian team, while ICC Chairman Jay Shah awarded the Champions Trophy to Rohit Sharma and distributed medals among the Indian players.
The incident came after India refused to play its matches in Pakistan, citing security concerns. As a result, the PCB agreed to a hybrid model that allowed India to play its games in Dubai.
Now, the PCB is expected to seek answers from the ICC regarding this apparent snub.
