Former Pakistan cricketers Wasim Akram expressed their disappointment due to the absence of Pakistani representation in the presentation ceremony of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final in Dubai. It was a great day for Indian cricket as Rohit Sharma led the team to their first ICC ODI title in 12 years. But then, former Pakistan cricketers chose to talk about the absence of PCB members in the presentation party, on the night of the final. First Shoaib Akhtar, and then Wasim Akram has also raised the same issue.
On Sunday, Rohit Sharma-led team India beat New Zealand by four wickets in the final to lift their first 50-over ICC title in 12 years at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. There was no one from PCB or Pakistan’s cricket official presence in any form for the Champions Trophy final despite Pakistan being the host.
Pakistan failed to win a single match at 2025 Champions Trophy
There were a lot of expectations from Pakistan in the 2025 Champions Trophy as, apart from being the hosts, they were also the defending champions. However, Mohammad Rizwan and company let their fans down. Pakistan kicked off their campaign with a 60-run defeat to New Zealand. They then went down against arch-rivals India, suffering a six-wicket loss. Their final group match against Bangladesh was washed out due to rain. Pakistan suffered an embarrassing group-stage exit, failing to win a single match in the edition.
Hosting an ICC event after 29 years and entering into the tournament as the defending champions, Pakistan was one of the favorites of the experts to go all the way into the tournament. However, they were met with a rude shock when they lost their opening game of the tournament by 60 runs.
Pakistan would be further jolted back when their arch-rivals India beat them by six wickets, which saw them languishing at the bottom of the Group A table. New Zealand’s win over Bangladesh in their next game sealed Pakistan’s fate for the tournament. Their last game of the tournament was a damp squib with the match being abandoned due to rain.
Pakistan, who won the ODI World Cup in 1992 had to wait seventeen years for their next title as they clinched the 2009 T20 WC, entered ICC CT 2025 as defending champions, but were unlucky to finish the tournament without wins as they fumbled in their opener against New Zealand, before a defeat to India in Dubai. Their final fixture against Bangladesh was washed out, leaving them winless and out of the competition.
Pakistan cricket greats Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhtar were taken aback by the absence of a Pakistan official at the Champions Trophy 2025 presentation ceremony at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday. The final was held in Dubai under a hybrid model despite Pakistan being the main hosts of the tournament. However, it was surprising to see that no Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official was part of the trophy ceremony that included multiple Indians.
ICC chairman Jay Shah was present on the podium alongside BCCI president Roger Binny and general secretary Devajit Saikia, but no PCB representative joined them on the podium to hand over the medal and trophies after India defeated New Zealand in the final. A report in the news agency PTI says that PCB CEO Sumair Ahmad, who is also the director of the tournament, was not invited to the closing ceremony despite being present at the venue.
Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram questioned the absence of the PCB CEO from the presentation ceremony, stating that it looked “odd” that there was no representative from the main hosts.
Pakistan legend Wasim Akram questions PCB official’s absence at 2025 Champions Trophy final presentation ceremony
Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram was surprised to see no Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official at the presentation ceremony of the 2025 Champions Trophy on Sunday, March 9. Pakistan were the host of the ICC event, though all of India’s matches, including the final, were played in Dubai.
The Men in Blue clinched the coveted trophy with a four-wicket win over New Zealand in the summit clash. Wasim Akram revealed that PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi was not present at the final because he was unwell.
The 58-year-old Wasim Akram , however, disclosed that two PCB officials attended the final. Wasim Akram emphasized that the person representing Naqvi should have been called on the stage during the presentation ceremony, as Pakistan were the official host.
Speaking on the show ‘The DP World Dressing Room,’ Wasim Akram said (via YouTube channel ‘Sports Central’):
“From what I have learnt, the chairman wasn’t well, but the people from the PCB who were present in the final were Sumair Ahmad and Usman Wahla. These two guys were present, but neither of them was on the stage.”
He added:
“The question now is that we were the hosts, weren’t we? How come even the CEO of the Pakistan Cricket Board or whoever it may be who was representing that chairman was not on the stage? Was he not invited on the stage? I don’t know what the story is, but it definitely looked odd to me as well while sitting here. It was very important to have a Pakistani on the stage. Even if he didn’t present the cup for the medal, somebody should have been there.”
India captain Rohit Sharma was adjudged the Player of the Match in the 2025 Champions Trophy final. He scored 76 runs off 83 deliveries, helping his team successfully chase down the 252-run target.