Pakistan Legend Shoaib Akhtar Questions PCB’s No-Show at Trophy Presentation
March 10, 2025: Dubai: A fresh controversy has emerged following India’s thrilling Champions Trophy 2025 victory over New Zealand, as Pakistan cricket legends and fans raised concerns over the absence of a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) representative at the final presentation ceremony.
Also Read: KL Rahul Reflects on Champions Trophy Win: “BCCI Groomed Us to Handle Pressure”
🏏 Where Was PCB? Shoaib Akhtar Demands Answers
Despite Pakistan officially being the tournament host, no PCB officials were present at the trophy presentation. The podium was shared by:
âś… ICC chairman Jay Shah
âś… BCCI president Roger Binny
âś… BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia
âś… New Zealand Cricket (NZC) director Roger Twose
Former Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Akhtar took to social media expressing his disappointment, stating:
“India won the ICC Champions Trophy today, but I noticed something strange. Pakistan was the host, yet there were no PCB representatives at the presentation. This is beyond my understanding. Why was there no one from Pakistan to present the trophy? It’s a world stage, and sadly, I couldn’t see any PCB members. This is disappointing.”
This is literally beyond my understanding.
— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) March 9, 2025
How can this be done???#championstrophy2025 pic.twitter.com/CPIUgevFj9
🇵🇰 PCB’s Official Response – Why Was No One Present?
According to reports from Telecom Asia Sport, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi could not attend due to his role as Pakistan’s Interior Minister, being occupied with an official parliamentary session in Islamabad.
Meanwhile, PCB’s Chief Operating Officer, Sumair Ahmed, was present in Dubai but was not called onto the podium. This has led to speculation that ICC decided the invitees, excluding PCB despite their official role in the tournament.
🏏 ICC’s Decision Under Scrutiny
The ICC traditionally decides which officials participate in the final presentation ceremony, yet despite PCB’s official tournament director being present, no Pakistani representation on stage has led to widespread criticism.
Adding to the controversy, many believe PCB’s absence may send a wrong message to India, with some former cricketers speculating that Pakistan officials skipped the event intentionally after India’s triumph.
🏆 Pakistan’s Disastrous Campaign – Another Reason?
The 2025 Champions Trophy was Pakistan’s first ICC event hosted in 29 years, but their campaign ended in embarrassment, getting eliminated in the group stage after defeats against India and New Zealand.
While political commitments may have played a role, the absence of PCB from the ceremony has now turned into a bigger controversy, fueling debates over Pakistan’s lack of representation at their own “home” tournament.
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