Amidst the celebrations of the Indian national team after their victorious campaign in the ICC Champions Trophy, a controversy emerged at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium as fans observed the absence of Pakistan Cricket Board representatives at the trophy ceremony. Despite Pakistan being the official hosts of the event, no PCB officials were present during the final presentation, raising questions about their conspicuous absence.
The tournament had already been overshadowed by tensions between the PCB and the BCCI, and the sight of an all-Indian panel at the presentation ceremony only added to the debate. The event was conducted by former BCCI chair turned ICC president Jay Shah, along with current BCCI president Roger Binny and BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, leaving many wondering why no PCB representative was present.
An ICC spokesperson later clarified the situation, explaining that no PCB office-bearer was in attendance in Dubai and, therefore, none could be present at the presentation. This included PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan’s minister of the interior. Addressing the concerns, the ICC spokesperson stated, “Mr Naqvi was unavailable and didn’t travel. As per understanding, only office bearers can be called for trophy presentation, so from PCB no office bearer was available for the same.”
While Pakistan officially hosted the tournament, all of India’s matches were played in Dubai due to security concerns regarding Indian players and officials traveling to Pakistan. As a result, the final, originally scheduled for Lahore, was moved to the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Earlier, a report claimed that PCB CEO Faisal Hasnain was in Dubai during the time of the ceremony but was not invited to attend the match or be a part of the presentation, despite Pakistan’s status as the official hosts.
The report further suggested that the PCB intended to contact the ICC regarding a miscommunication over the matter. The situation has since sparked debate, with some questioning whether the absence was due to procedural lapses or underlying tensions between cricketing boards.
