The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has expressed dissatisfaction over the handling of the Champions Trophy final presentation ceremony in Dubai, putting the blame on the International Cricket Council (ICC) for what it describes as mismanagement.
Despite the PCB Chief Operating Officer Sumair Ahmed being present at the venue, no representative from Pakistan was invited onto the podium during the post-match proceedings. Addressing a gathering in Lahore, Sumair Ahmed attributed the oversight to a lapse in organisation by the ICC, stating that the matter was not received positively by the board. He emphasised that the incident was a result of mismanagement and suggested that those involved were well known.
Sumair Ahmed further revealed that his trip to Dubai was made on the instructions of the PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi. He also confirmed that the PCB had officially sought clarification from the ICC regarding the incident but found the response unsatisfactory. As a result, the board has sent a follow-up letter demanding further explanation.
During the presentation, figures such as the BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia, the New Zealand Cricket CEO Roger Twose, the BCCI President Roger Binny and the ICC Chairman Jay Shah were all present on stage, yet there was no representation from the host nation, raising questions about the exclusion.
In his address, Sumair Ahmed also spoke about an infrastructure issue at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, revealing that one of the newly renovated roofs had leaked during heavy rain in the Champions Trophy match between Australia and Afghanistan. Holding the contractor responsible for the flaw, he assured that damages had been claimed and the issue was rectified by the same contractor.
With the Pakistan board awaiting a clearer response from the ICC, the incident has further strained relations between the board and cricket’s global governing body, highlighting concerns over protocol and fair representation in major tournaments.
