ICC provide explanation for PCB officials' absence at Champions Trophy ceremony

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has explained why no officials from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) were present on stage during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final ceremony in Dubai.  

The ICC clarified this after a local media asked about the absence of PCB representatives at the event.  

An ICC spokesperson said that PCB Management Committee Chairman Mohsin Naqvi was invited to attend the final ceremony but did not come.  

“Mr. Naqvi was unavailable and did not travel to Dubai for the final,” the spokesperson stated.  

Some fans and experts raised concerns about the lack of Pakistani representation during the ceremony. In response, the ICC explained that it follows the same rules for all its tournaments.  

“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, even if present at the venue, are not part of the stage proceedings,” the spokesperson said.  

The ICC made it clear that this rule was not specific to the Champions Trophy but has been applied in all past events. The reason no PCB official was on stage was that Pakistan’s designated representative did not attend.  

However, sources have said that the PCB is not happy with the situation and plans to raise the issue with the ICC. The board will ask why PCB CEO Sameer Ahmed Syed was not invited to the ceremony even though he was in Dubai as the tournament director.  

“It is concerning that Pakistan was not given representation at the closing ceremony despite the presence of a key PCB official in Dubai,” a source said.  

The final of the Champions Trophy was held in Dubai after India refused to play its matches in Pakistan due to its government’s decision not to send the team there.