 "Explained: Why was no Pakistan official present at Champions Trophy 2025 final presentation ceremony?")
While controversy has erupted over the absence of a Pakistan representative at the Champions Trophy final ceremony in Dubai, technicalities suggest that the omission resulted from the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) own actions.
The Champions Trophy 2025 final presentation ceremony included a long list of guests, including ICC chairman Jay Shah, BCCI president Roger Binny, secretary Devajit Saikia and New Zealand Cricket director Roger Twose. The dignitaries presented the medals, jackets and trophy to the players.
However, no PCB official was present on the podium despite Pakistan being the main hosts of the tournament.
It was reported by news agency PTI that while PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi did not travel to Dubai for the final, Chief Operating Officer (COO) Sumair Ahmad, who was also the tournament director of the Pakistan leg, was present at the venue and was not invited to the podium.
This led to a lot of criticism of ICC from the Pakistan cricket fraternity as journalists accused the Shah-led body of bias and legendary cricketer Wasim Akram expressed his disappointment.
“From what I have learnt, the chairman wasn’t well, but the people from the PCB who were present in the final were Sumair Ahmad and Usman Wahla. These two guys were present, but neither of them was on the stage,” Akram said on the DP World Dressing Room show .
“The question now is that we were the hosts, weren’t we? How come even the COO of the Pakistan Cricket Board or whoever it may be who was representing that chairman was not on the stage? Was he not invited on the stage? I don’t know what the story is, but it definitely looked odd to me as well while sitting here. It was very important to have a Pakistani on the stage. Even if he didn’t present the cup for the medal, somebody should have been there.”
Impact Shorts
More ShortsWhy there was no Pakistan official in CT 2025 ceremony
More clarity has now emerged on the matter.
As per a report in Cricbuzz, no Pakistan official was part of the Champions Trophy 2025 final presentation ceremony because the protocol doesn’t allow employees of a board to be on the podium.
As per the protocol, only elected members or directors of the board can be on the podium.
The report adds that Andre Russell, the tournament director of the Dubai leg of the Champions Trophy, was also not invited to the podium as it was reserved for elected members.
Those present on the podium during the Champions Trophy 2025 final presentation ceremony were all elected members.
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