New Delhi: The absence of representatives from Pakistan at the ICC Champions Trophy closing ceremony has been clarified. India triumphed over New Zealand by four wickets to secure their third Champions Trophy title. However, during the ceremony, there were no officials from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on stage to present medals and jackets to the players, despite Pakistan being the tournament’s host.
This resulted in significant criticism, including comments from former cricketer Shoaib Akhtar regarding the lack of PCB officials at the event. The medals and jackets were presented by BCCI president Roger Binny and secretary Devajit Saikia, while ICC President Jay Shah awarded the trophy to Rohit Sharma. An ICC spokesperson has since clarified to India Today the reasons for the absence of any Pakistani representatives at the ceremony.
The spokesperson indicated that PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi was not present and did not make the trip to Dubai. The ICC spokesperson mentioned that only officials from the PCB were permitted to attend the ceremony, and there were no attendees in Dubai for the event.
The ICC spokesperson stated that Mr. Naqvi was not present and did not attend the event. According to the established protocol, only office bearers are permitted to participate in the trophy presentation, and since no office bearer from the PCB was present, they were unable to fulfill this role. As the hosts of the event, the PCB should have ensured their attendance.
PCB CEO was present in Dubai: Report
A recent report from PTI indicates that Sumair Ahmed, the chief executive officer of the PCB and the tournament director, attended the closing ceremony at the venue but was not invited. The report suggests that a miscommunication between him and the ICC officials in charge of organizing the final ceremony may have resulted in his exclusion from the event.
“According to a source speaking to PTI, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi did not attend the event in Dubai due to previous obligations as the federal minister for interior; however, the PCB CEO was dispatched to represent Pakistan at the final and closing presentation. The report also indicated that the PCB plans to address the issue with the ICC regarding the absence of an invitation for their CEO to the closing ceremony.
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