Non-presence of hosts PCB at CT presentation ceremony astonishing

By Ehsan Qureshi

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Pakistan were the hosts of 9th edition of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 with the majority of its matches were staged at the three major venues of the country, Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi. 

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) invited and hosted the top officials of the International Cricket Council (ICC) during the course of the tournament. The Vice of President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Rajeev Shukla, also came over to Lahore to watch one of the matches. 

It was astonishing, however, not to find any representative of the PCB at the podium during the glamorous presentation ceremony of the Champions Trophy, soon after the conclusion of the final between India and New Zealand, in Dubai on March 9. 

The ICC Chairman, Jay Shah, dominated the proceedings alongwith the BCCI President, Roger Binny. 

It was also noted that the PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, was not present on the occasion. According to reports, the PCB Chief Executive, Sumair Ahmed, was available at Dubai International Cricket Stadium but he was not invited at the podium. 

The experts as well as cricket enthusiasts in Pakistan could not comprehend the reasons of the non-presence of the hosts at the podium during the presentation ceremony. It could not be ascertained whether this was done by mutual understanding or not. 

Pakistan’s speed merchant, Shoaib Akhtar, famously known as the Rawalpindi Express, also expressed his surprise at not finding the presence of any PCB official at the podium, despite being the hosts.

Earlier during the India-Bangladesh match in Dubai, the name of hosts was found missing. The ICC officials regretted the mistake when the matter was taken up by the PCB.