The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been at loggerheads with the International Cricket Council (ICC) for ignoring their representative at the closing ceremony of the Champions Trophy in Dubai on Sunday. As India won the Champions Trophy by beating New Zealand in the final, BCCI president Roger Binny, secretary Devajit Saikia and ICC chairman Jay Shah were present during the ceremony. However, no one from the PCB was called out during the prize distribution ceremony. While PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi had informed the ICC over his absence, chief operating officer and tournament director Sumair Ahmed had travelled to Dubai for the final.
However, he was allegedly ignored by the ICC. Amid the ongoing impasse between the PCB and ICC, a Pakistani expert has claimed that BCCI was the reason that Sumair was ignored at the ceremony. However, he also claimed that the customary white blazers, donned by the Indian players, will always have Pakistan’s name as hosts on it.
“It was a shocking thing. ICC decides who will come to the podium. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi had notified he would not be present, but I felt he should have travelled to Dubai. Sumair Ahmed, COO, was present, but ICC did not honour him by calling him to the stage. In the entire tournament, India has tried to push back Pakistan – they did not want to wear a jersey with Pakistan’s name, and they did not want to travel to Pakistan. But in the end, Pakistan won. That white jacket they wore, with Pakistan’s name, will forever be written on it,” the panellist said during a discussion on ARY News.
The anchor, however, came up with a hilarious response, saying that at least India will remember Pakistan as a “tailor”.
“Issi bahane Pakistan ko as darzi zarur yaad rakhenge (On this pretext, India will surely remember Pakistan as a tailor),” the anchor replied, leaving everyone in splits.
#indvsnzfinal pic.twitter.com/56zkFSkV6C
— (@Aditya4BMR) March 10, 2025
For the unversed, the PCB has lodged a formal protest with the ICC over the absence of their representative.
When Geo News approached the ICC, the body’s spokesperson claimed that Naqvi was invited to the ceremony, but he did not attend.
“The ICC only invites the head of the host board, such as the president, vice president, chairman, or CEO — to participate in the awards ceremony. Other board officials, regardless of their presence at the venue, are not part of the stage proceedings,” the ICC spokesperson told Geo News.
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