Top PCB official blames ICC for 'mismanagement' in Champions Trophy final: 'Everyone knows who's involved in it'

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief operating officer Sumair Ahmad has accused the Jay Shah-led International Cricket Council (ICC) of mismanagement in the final of the Champions Trophy. Not a single PCB official was invited on stage for the post-match presentation ceremony after India defeated New Zealand by four wickets in the Champions Trophy final on 9 March.

This despite the fact that Pakistan were hosting the tournament, and COO Ahmad was present at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium where the Rohit Sharma-led Men in Blue lifted the trophy .

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“It was a result of mismanagement on part of the ICC and everyone knows who’s involved in it. We did not take the matter in a positive way,” he said at an event in Lahore.

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Ahmad had been directed to travel to Dubai for the final by PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who also happens to be a member of the Shahbaz Sharif-led government as the Federal Interior Minister.

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He added that the PCB has reached out to the ICC regarding the mismanagement in the final, but the response “hasn’t been satisfactory”.

“We had asked for an explanation from the ICC but the response received wasn’t satisfactory so we’ve sent another letter seeking explanation,” he said.

BCCI president Roger Binny had presented the Indian cricketers their white jackets – awarded to members of the winning team in the Champions Trophy – during the post-match presentation ceremony. Shah, who had served as BCCI secretary before assuming charge as the ICC chief, later handed the trophy to Rohit.

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Besides Shah and Binny, current BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia and New Zealand Cricket (NZC) CEO Roger Twose were present on the stage.

India became the most successful team in Champions Trophy history earlier this month after chasing down a target of 252 set by the Mitchell Santner-led Black Caps with four wickets and an over to spare.

They had handed Bangladesh and arch-rivals Pakistan consecutive six-wicket defeats before topping the group stage with a 44-run victory over the Black Caps. India were up against Australia in the semi-finals, and ended up defeating the Steve Smith-led side by four wickets after being set a challenging 265 to win.

The Men in Blue played all of their matches in Dubai in a ‘Hybrid Model’ after the BCCI refused to send the team to Pakistan citing security concerns and political tensions.