The absence of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials from the presentation ceremony of the Champions Trophy 2025 final on Sunday has sparked criticism from former senior players of the country. India emerged victorious, defeating New Zealand in the final held in Dubai. Notably, India played all their matches at the same venue after refusing to tour Pakistan, the tournament’s host, for unspecified reasons. Lahore had been designated as the alternate venue for the final if India had failed to qualify.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi was notably absent from the ceremony, with Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Roger Binny stepping in to present jackets to the Indian players. Even Tournament Director Sumair Ahmed Syed was missing from the stage, making the event appear entirely dominated by the Indian contingent.
Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram expressed his concerns during the Ten Sports programme *The DP World Dressing Room*. “We [Pakistan] were the hosts, weren’t we? Then why were the PCB representatives absent from the stage during the ceremony? Were they not invited? It definitely looked odd to me,” he remarked. Akram later clarified that PCB Chairman Naqvi was reportedly unwell and was represented by PCB COO Sumair Ahmad Syed and Director of International Cricket Usman Wahla. However, he emphasized, “A Pakistani should have been on the stage, even if they didn’t hand over the cup or medals, in my opinion.”
Former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar also voiced his disappointment on his YouTube channel. “This is a weird thing that I saw in the final—no PCB representative was there at the presentation ceremony. Pakistan were the hosts, and there was no official representative there. This is beyond my understanding. Why didn’t anyone come to represent and give the trophy? This was the world stage, and you should have been there. This tournament was hosted by us, yet there was nobody there. It’s very discouraging to see that,” he said.
PCB Chairman Naqvi took to X (formerly Twitter) on Monday to congratulate everyone involved in organizing the event. “I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated PCB team, the vigilant law enforcement agencies, the supportive provincial governments, the esteemed ICC officials, and all the phenomenal participating cricket teams that traveled to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025,” he wrote. However, he did not address the absence of PCB officials from the final’s presentation ceremony. When contacted, the PCB declined to comment on the matter.
The politics of cricket continue to overshadow India’s triumph in the Champions Trophy. As the sport’s largest financial contributor, India wields significant influence over the International Cricket Council (ICC). This influence was evident when the ICC agreed to shift India’s matches away from Pakistan, including the final, if India qualified. Since the BJP came to power in 2014, cricketing relations between the two nations have deteriorated, with India refusing to send its teams to Pakistan while Pakistan has participated in ICC events on Indian soil, such as the 2023 ODI World Cup.
The uncertainty surrounding the Champions Trophy was resolved through a hybrid model agreed upon by the PCB and BCCI, allowing both nations to play their matches in future ICC events (up to 2027) at neutral venues. Interestingly, India has not played a bilateral series with Pakistan since 2013 but has faced its arch-rival in various ICC events worldwide.
The tournament’s scheduling drew widespread criticism, with teams shuttling between Pakistan and the UAE while India remained stationed in Dubai. This arrangement gave India a clear advantage, as they played all their matches at a single venue. South Africa’s David Miller described the situation as “not ideal,” highlighting the inconvenience of flying to Dubai and back to Lahore within 24 hours. His teammate Rassie van der Dussen acknowledged the benefits of India’s setup, stating, “If you can stay in one place, practice in the same facilities, and play on the same pitches every time, it’s definitely an advantage.”
Even Pakistan, the nominal host, had to travel to Dubai to face India, rather than playing them on home soil. The contrasting pitch conditions in Pakistan (high-scoring tracks) and Dubai (slow, turning surfaces) further fueled debates about fairness and competitive balance. The controversy surrounding the tournament underscores the complex interplay of politics and sport in the cricketing world.
