Champions Trophy 2025 Final: Host Pakistan Cricket Board officials missing from award ceremony, controversy ensues; Akhtar furious

A controversy erupted on Sunday after the ICC did not invite Pakistan Cricket Board officials on stage at the closing ceremony of the Champions Trophy final in Dubai. A source said PCB Chief Executive Officer Sumair Ahmed was present on the ground but was not invited to the ceremony. He is also the tournament director.

PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi could not go to Dubai

The source said, 'PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi could not go to Dubai as he had some work as Home Minister, but the PCB CEO was sent to represent Pakistan in the final and prize distribution.' He said that for some reason or due to misunderstanding, he was not called on the stage from where ICC President Jay Shah, BCCI President Roger Binny, and Secretary Devjit Saikia gave medals, trophies, and jackets to the players. No representative of host Pakistan was on the stage. The PCB can raise this issue with the ICC. The source said that perhaps the CEO could not communicate properly with the ICC people responsible for organizing the final ceremony and that is why he was kept out. So as the host of the Champions Trophy, Pakistan had no representative on the podium.

Shoaib Akhtar expressed displeasure.

Former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar also put up a video on X and said, 'India won the Champions Trophy, but there was no representative of PCB after the final. Pakistan was the host. I don't understand why no one from PCB was there. Why did no one come to give the trophy, why did no one come to represent? This is really beyond my understanding. How can this happen?? Where was the representation of the host country in the final and prize distribution?? You should think seriously about this. It was the world stage. PCB should have been here, but sadly I did not see anyone. I am very sad about this.'

The tournament was played on a hybrid model.

BCCI President Binny presented white jackets to the Indian players and medals to the match officials, while ICC President Shah handed over the trophy to Rohit Sharma and gave medals to the Indian players. India had refused to play its matches in Pakistan citing security concerns. The PCB had agreed to a hybrid model, allowing India to play their games in Dubai.