The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is unlikely to receive a ‘formal clarification’ from the ICC regarding their perceived snub at the Champions Trophy closing ceremony in Dubai. India defeated New Zealand in the final to secure their third tournament victory. The issue arose when Sumair Ahmed, PCB’s chief operating officer and Champions Trophy tournament director, was not invited onto the stage for the final presentation. A PCB official stated they had filed a formal complaint with the ICC, deeming the situation unacceptable.
However, ICC sources indicate that no formal explanation will be provided to the PCB. According to the source, even ICC CEO Geoff Allardice was not present on stage due to protocol. The source explained that Sumair Ahmed is a PCB employee, not an office-bearer, and questioned whether tournament directors are typically included in final presentations. They cited an example of ICC’s head of operations and communications, Gaurav Saxena, who was not on stage during the Asia Cup final presentation in Dubai despite being the tournament director.
During the ceremony, BCCI president Roger Binny presented white jackets to Indian players and medals to match officials. ICC chairman Jay Shah awarded the trophy to India’s captain Rohit Sharma and medals to the winning team. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia and New Zealand Cricket’s CEO Roger Twose were also present on stage, with the source noting Saikia’s position as BCCI Director on the ICC board and Binny as the Alternate Director.
The PCB official expressed incomprehension at the reasons given for excluding their COO and tournament director, reiterating their expectation of a formal clarification or apology. They stated that explanations about the ICC only inviting CEOs, chairmen, vice-chairmen, or secretaries are illogical. The official concluded by demanding a public clarification and assurance against future biased treatment, threatening to escalate the matter to the Board of Governors.
The official also conveyed being ‘appalled’ by what they considered a ‘blatant disregard’ for Pakistan’s role as the host nation.
