'ICC's Mirror Reflection: PCB criticized for Pakistan's absence in final, likened to IPL in Dubai'

Former Pakistan cricketer Kamran Akmal has expressed disappointment over the lack of a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) representative at the presentation ceremony of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final. Despite Pakistan being the official host of the tournament, no PCB official was seen on the podium during the post-match accolades, sparking criticism and raising questions about the ICC's decision-making.

The PCB has since lodged a formal complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC), seeking clarification over why their representatives were excluded. However, Akmal believes Pakistan’s dismal performance in the tournament was to blame and suggested that their cricketing standards did not merit representation on the grand stage.

“The ICC showed us the mirror. The tournament’s director (Sumair) was there. He was available, and why wasn’t he in the ceremony? It is because we don’t deserve to be there. We are not playing good cricket. Minnow teams have shown us the mirror. No one discussed how Pakistan hosted the tournament. If we play such cricket, we will be treated like this. If you play for yourself, there will be no respect,” Akmal stated on his YouTube channel.

During the final ceremony, BCCI president Roger Binny, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, ICC chairman Jay Shah, and New Zealand Cricket’s CEO Roger Twose were present on stage to distribute trophies and medals.

However, Sumair Ahmed, the PCB’s chief operating officer and tournament director, remained absent from the podium, which further fueled PCB’s frustration. Pakistan’s legendary pacer Shoaib Akhtar also voiced his disappointment over the matter, expressing his concerns in a video posted on social media.

‘It felt like an IPL event’

In addition to his criticism of Pakistan’s absence from the ceremony, Akmal took issue with the entertainment arrangements during the mid-innings break. He lamented the fact that no Pakistani artists were invited to perform, despite Pakistan being the tournament’s designated host.

"It was our event, we hosted it. It should’ve been our entertainers who should’ve gone to perform in the mid-innings break, too. Atif Aslam made the anthem, he should’ve gone there. There was no representation from our country. It felt like it was an IPL event, the way they organised it in Dubai,” Akmal added.

Before the tournament began, PCB had already faced hurdles, particularly due to India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for security and political reasons. Eventually, a hybrid model was agreed upon, with India playing all their matches in Dubai.

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