The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has protested against the International Cricket Council (ICC) for ignoring its representative during the prize distribution ceremony after the Champions Trophy final. PCB claimed its official, present at the stadium, was not invited to the podium during the ceremony in Dubai on Sunday.
Senior PCB officials confirmed that the board sent a strongly worded letter to the ICC. The letter questioned why PCB’s chief operating officer Sumair Ahmed, who attended the final, was excluded from the podium. Telecom Asia Sport reported the protest on Monday.
Pakistan hosted the Champions Trophy under a hybrid model. India played its matches in Dubai after the Indian government refused to allow the team to visit Pakistan. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi skipped the final due to a parliamentary session. He sent Sumair Ahmed in his place.
ICC protocols state that the ICC head distributes the prizes while the host country’s representative stands on the podium. New Zealand Cricket Director Roger Twose and BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia attended the ceremony despite not being board heads. Pakistan Cricket Board argued that Ahmed should have received the same treatment.
“The PCB has formally protested to the ICC for not including PCB COO and CT25 tournament director Sumair Ahmed Syed in the presentation ceremony,” an official told Telecom Asia Sport.
PCB’s Absence At Ceremony Sparks Controversy
PCB pointed out several ICC mistakes during the tournament. The broadcast feed displayed the wrong CT25 logo during India’s match against Bangladesh. The Indian anthem played during the Australia-England match in Lahore.
“Another ICC event, another controversy. Pakistan’s name was erased from a broadcast graphic. The anthem mix-up at a key match and the host board’s exclusion from its own event show a lack of accountability,” said an official close to the PCB.
Former cricketers criticized the PCB’s handling of the issue. They called it an insult to Pakistan’s role as the tournament host. PCB demanded accountability from the ICC for these lapses and sought a formal explanation.
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