ICC Champions Trophy 2025: The tournament’s organizers are upset that the International Cricket Council (ICC) chose not to have a delegate from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on the stage at the Champions Trophy closing ceremony.

Sumair Ahmed, the director of the tournament and the chief executive officer of the PCB, was at the location but was not invited to the ceremony, according to a report in the news agency PTI.

As part of the competition’s hybrid style, Pakistan hosted an ICC tournament for the first time in 29 years, with all of India’s matches taking place in Dubai.

The reason for Pakistani officials’ absence from the ICC Champions Trophy closing ceremony has now been made public after a great deal of controversy.

“PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi didn’t go to Dubai because of prior commitments as federal minister for interior but the PCB CEO was sent to represent Pakistan at the final and closing presentation,” according to a source.

He said that for whatever reason or miscommunication, the PCB official was not brought up to the platform, where the players received their medals, trophies, and jackets from ICC chairman Jay Shah, BCCI president Roger Binny, and secretary Devajit Saikia.

The insider went on to say that the CEO could have been excluded because they were unable to effectively engage with the ICC representatives in charge of planning the closing ceremony.

Pakistan did not have a representation on the podium since they were the Champions Trophy hosts.

Shoaib Akhtar, a former fast bowler, also questioned why PCB representatives were not present at the post-match award ceremony after the tournament final.

“India won the Champions Trophy, but I saw that the PCB did not send a delegate after the final. The Champions Trophy was being held in Pakistan. In an ‘X’ social media video, Akhtar said, “I don’t understand it.”

“Why weren’t any PCB representatives there to award the trophy? I don’t understand. It’s something to consider. You ought to have been here; this is the global stage. I’m very sad to see it,” Akhtar said.

While ICC chairman Shah offered the trophy to Rohit Sharma and the medals to the Indian players, BCCI president Binny presented the white jackets to India and the medals to match officials.

Citing security concerns, India has declined to play their matches in Pakistan.