By Zainab Shafiq 
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has raised concerns with the International Cricket Council (ICC) after the exclusion of its tournament director, Sumair Ahmed, from the Champions Trophy post-final presentation ceremony in Dubai. Despite Pakistan being the official host of the tournament, no PCB official was present during the Champions Trophy final presentation, sparking fresh tensions between the cricketing bodies.
Clear Absence of PCB Official from Champions Trophy Final Presentation
Sumair Ahmed, who also serves as the PCB’s Chief Operating Officer, was in Dubai fulfilling his duties as tournament director. Traditionally, the host nation’s representative is included in post-tournament ceremonies, making Ahmed’s absence particularly noticeable.
The presentation stage, however, featured four officials: ICC Chair Jay Shah, BCCI President Roger Binny, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia, and New Zealand Cricket Director Roger Twose. The PCB has specifically questioned why two BCCI officials were included while its own representative was left out.
Pakistan’s Stand and ICC’s Silence
Initially, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi was set to attend the presentation but was unable to travel due to illness. The PCB assumed that Sumair Ahmed would automatically take his place, but no such arrangement was made. The board contends that the ICC should have proactively reached out to discuss the replacement, rather than letting Pakistan remain unrepresented at such a high-profile event.
As of now, the ICC has not responded to the PCB’s request for an explanation, further fueling the controversy. ESPNcricinfo has also sought ICC’s comments but has received no official statement.
Mounting Frustrations Over Repeated Incidents
This is not the first time the PCB has found itself questioning the ICC over issues related to Pakistan’s status as host. Earlier in the tournament, the official broadcast for the India vs. Bangladesh game omitted Pakistan’s name from the Champions Trophy logo. Shortly after, another mishap occurred during the Australia vs. England game in Lahore, where the Indian national anthem briefly played instead of Australia’s. The ICC attributed these incidents to human error, but the PCB remains dissatisfied with the explanations.
BCCI’s Role and Compromises on Hosting Rights
The Champions Trophy was originally set to be hosted entirely in Pakistan—marking the country’s first ICC event since 1996. However, due to India’s refusal to travel, a compromise was reached, moving India’s matches to Dubai. This arrangement is expected to continue for upcoming ICC events where India and Pakistan are co-hosts, ensuring that one nation plays its games at a neutral venue.
What’s Next?
With the ICC yet to clarify its stance on the latest issue, the PCB’s frustration continues to grow. Whether this incident will lead to deeper friction between the PCB and ICC remains to be seen, but Pakistan is unlikely to let the matter slide without a satisfactory response.
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