Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) obtained another controversy after the Champions 2025 Trophy concluded. The host nation of the tournament filed an official complaint to the global body after its operations director and the director of the tournament, Sumair Ahmed, ignored them during the trophy presentation ceremony.
Champions Trophy 2025 concluded on Sunday (March 9) with the emerging winners of India after they beat New Zealand in the final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai. The men in Azul beat the opposition by 4 wickets to lift their third title in history..
The presentation ceremony of the Champions Trophy saw the president of the ICC Jay Shah, the president of BCCI, Roger Binny, the secretary of BCCI Devajit Saikia and the CEO of New Zealand Cricket, Roger Twose on stage. But there was not a single official of the Cricket Board of Pakistan (PCB).
We have filed a formal complaint: PCB source
The president of PCB could not attend the Champions Trophy due to personal commitments and, instead, the PCB operations director, Sumair Ahmed, was sent to Dubai. But the global body ignored it and was not called on stage during the representation of the trophy.
This, however, was not good with the PCB and filed an official complaint. The source close to developments confirmed the same to PTI, saying: “We have filed a formal complaint with the ICC, since what happened is unacceptable to us.”
Check when a tournament director has been on stage for presentation: Global Body gives a strong response to PCB
However, the global body obtained a strong response. A source close to the global agency confirmed that there is a protocol, and adds is a PCB employee, noting that the director of the tournament has never been on stage. He explained:
“If PCB mandarins look up, even the CEO of ICC, Geoff Allalde, was not present on stage. The reason is the protocol,” said the ICC source. “Sumair Ahmed is an employee of the PCB and not an office bearer. In addition, verify when a tournament director has been on stage for the presentation,” added the official.
“We can give an example. The new Chief of Operations and Communications of ICC, Gaurav Saxena, was once the director of the Asia Cup Tournament in Dubai. Was he on stage for the final presentation?”
We are waiting for a formal clarification/apology: PCB to ICC
The answer was not good with the PCB, since they called the explanation of the global body as illogical. The source added that the Board wants a public apology and guarantee that such things will not happen in the future. He said:
“The reasons given not to have our operations director and tournament directors on the stage for the final presentation do not make sense for us. We are waiting for a formal clarification/apology,” said the PCB official. “We are horrified by this shameless contempt for the role of Pakistan as the host nation.”
“Giving explanations that ICC only invites CEO, presidents, vice presidents or secretaries for the ceremony is illogical. We want a complete public clarification and a guarantee that such partial and unfair treatment will not happen again, or we will push this issue to the Board of Governors.”
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