A controversy has erupted following the absence of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials from the closing ceremony of the Champions Trophy 2025 final, which took place in Dubai on March 9, 2025. The tournament, initially set to be fully hosted by Pakistan, was played in a hybrid format after India refused to travel to Pakistan due to security concerns.
India clinches third Champions Trophy title
The final match, originally slated for Lahore, was relocated to Dubai, where India secured a four-wicket victory over New Zealand, claiming their third Champions Trophy title. During the post-match presentation, ICC chairman Jay Shah and BCCI president Roger Binny distributed the awards, but no representative from the PCB was present on the stage despite Pakistan being the official host.
PCB expresses discontent over being left out
Following the ceremony, reports surfaced indicating PCB’s dissatisfaction over their exclusion from the event’s concluding moments. The PCB alleged that none of their officials were invited to participate, which they viewed as a disregard for Pakistan’s status as the tournament’s host.
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ICC clarifies PCB chairman’s absence
Responding to the concerns, an ICC spokesperson stated that PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi had been invited to the final ceremony but was unable to attend as he had not traveled to Dubai. The ICC further explained that as per established protocol, only senior officials, such as the chairman, president, vice president, or CEO, are permitted on stage during trophy presentations. Since Naqvi was absent, no other PCB representative was scheduled to take part.
“Mr. Naqvi was unavailable and did not travel for the event. As per ICC guidelines, only designated office bearers are allowed on stage for the trophy presentation. With no PCB office bearer present, no representative could participate,” an ICC spokesperson told India Today.
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