A Pakistani representative attended no part in the closing ceremony pertaining to the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy in Dubai on Sunday night. As quoted by an ICC representative spokesperson, Mohsin Naqvi, PCB chairman, and official representative of the host nation, was invited to attend the final ceremony but did not come. “Mr Naqvi was unavailable and did not travel to Dubai for the final,” said the spokesperson.
The ICC stated that, per the long-standing protocol, only high-ranking officials of the host nation would be invited to participate in the ceremony, that is, the president, vice president, chairman, or CEO of the cricket board. This was the ICC’s explanation for why some felt there was no Pakistani representation on stage during the ceremony.
Brewing Controversy Between PCB and ICC
According to some reports, the PCB is contemplating raising a formal protest regarding the exclusion of PCB CEO Sumair Ahmed Syed from the event. The PCB claims that Syed, who also functioned as the tournament director, had been present in Dubai but was not invited for the ceremony. The PCB was quite dissatisfied with the ICC’s explanations that revolved around various concerns throughout the tournament in relation to Pakistan as a host country.
The ICC was originally expecting its chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, to grace the event, but upon his inability to do so, they had to change their plans. The PCB has, however, rejected this explanation, which may put the two bodies at odds.
The debacle surrounding the lack of representation for Pakistan during the closing ceremony turns out to have been an awkward postscript to what was otherwise a fine note to end the tournament. India held the Champions Trophy 2025 in grand style and captured the glittering trophy by defeating New Zealand in the final by four wickets.
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