By Zainab Shafiq 
The Champions Trophy 2025 was supposed to be a historic moment for Pakistan, marking the country’s first major ICC event since 1996. Instead, it turned into a controversy-laden tournament, with BCCI’s intervention overshadowing the competition.
From Pakistan being stripped of full hosting rights to shocking mismanagement during key moments, here are three reasons why this edition of the Champions Trophy was an absolute disaster.
What Made Champions Trophy 2025 ‘An Absolute Disaster’?
1. Pakistan Lost Hosting Rights—BCCI Called the Shots
Despite Pakistan being the official host, political tensions resulted in the tournament being moved to the UAE. The BCCI refused to send the Indian team to Pakistan, leading to a compromise where all matches involving India were played in Dubai. This effectively robbed Pakistan of its historic opportunity, with the country hosting only a fraction of the matches. The decision reinforced concerns that ICC tournaments are increasingly influenced by India’s cricketing power rather than fair play.
2. PCB Official Snubbed from the Trophy Presentation
After India clinched the title against New Zealand, the post-final presentation sparked another controversy. Sumair Ahmed, the tournament director and PCB’s chief operating officer, was nowhere to be seen on stage.
While ICC officials and BCCI representatives—including Jay Shah, Roger Binny, and Devajit Saikia—dominated the ceremony, Pakistan, the official host, had no voice. The PCB later demanded an explanation from the ICC, but the silence has been deafening.
3. Repeated Embarrassments for Pakistan on the Global Stage
This wasn’t the first incident that undermined Pakistan’s role as a host. Earlier in the tournament, during India’s match against Bangladesh, Pakistan’s name was mysteriously omitted from the official tournament logo on the broadcast.
Then, during an Australia vs. England match in Lahore, the Indian national anthem was accidentally played instead of the Australian anthem. These incidents left the PCB fuming, as the ICC’s response was dismissive, blaming “human errors” for what many saw as systematic neglect.
Pakistan’s Champions Trophy hosting rights were already diluted due to India’s influence. But the exclusion from the trophy presentation and repeated blunders on ICC’s watch have added insult to injury. The PCB is demanding accountability, but will the ICC address Pakistan’s concerns—or will cricket continue to be dictated by political and financial power?
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No PCB official during Champions Trophy final presentation? PCB questions ICC