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The International Cricket Council (ICC) has clarified why the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials were absent from the 2025 Champions Trophy presentation ceremony in Dubai on the night of the final. Several fans and experts were perplexed to see no PCB representative on the podium, despite Pakistan being the host of the event.
An ICC spokesperson disclosed that PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi was unavailable for the 2025 Champions Trophy final and didn't travel to Dubai. In Naqvi's absence, PCB COO and tournament director Sumair Ahmad Syed attended the summit clash.
Explaining why Syed wasn't invited to the stage during the presentation or prize distribution ceremony, the spokesperson said (quoted by Times of India):
"Mr. Naqvi was unavailable and did not travel to Dubai for the final. The ICC only invites the head of the host board such as the president, vice president, chairman, or CEO - to participate in the awards ceremony. Other board officials, even if present at the venue, are not part of the stage proceedings."
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India beat New Zealand by four wickets in the final. The Men in Blue skipper Rohit Sharma was handed the coveted trophy by ICC chairman Jay Shah, while the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president presented the white blazers to the members of the winning team.
Pakistan were the official host of the 2025 Champions Trophy. However, all of India's matches took place in Dubai following the board's refusal to send their team to the neighboring country due to security concerns.
"We hosted the tournament, yet there was nobody there" - Shoaib Akhtar unhappy to see no PCB official at 2025 Champions Trophy final ceremony
Following the 2025 Champions Trophy final, former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar posted a video on social media to express his displeasure over PCB officials' absence from the presentation ceremony.
He pointed out that the tournament was hosted by Pakistan, and someone from the PCB should have been on the stage. The 49-year-old said (quoted by Hindustan Times):
"India has won the ICC Champions Trophy. There was one odd thing: no one from the Pakistan Cricket Board during the presentation ceremony. Pakistan is the host of the Champions Trophy, but there was no representative of Pakistan who was standing. No one was there to present the trophy. It is beyond me.
"Think about it. It was the world stage, you should have been there, but sadly, I could not see any Pakistan Cricket Board member there. We hosted the tournament, yet there was nobody there. Feeling very down to see that."
Pakistan had a dismal campaign. They suffered an embarrassing group stage exit, finishing at the bottom of the Group A points table.
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