Shoaib Akhtar Questions PCB’s Absence at Champions Trophy Presentation Ceremony

Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has raised concerns over the absence of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials at the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy presentation ceremony, despite Pakistan being the official host of the tournament. This absence came after India’s victory over New Zealand in the final, fueling questions over the PCB’s role in the event.

In a video posted on X (formerly Twitter), Akhtar highlighted the glaring absence of any PCB representative during the ceremony. “India has won the ICC Champions Trophy, but one odd thing stood out—no one from the Pakistan Cricket Board was present during the presentation,” Akhtar stated. “Pakistan was the official host of the tournament, yet there was no representative to present the trophy. It is beyond me. The tournament was hosted by us, but there was nobody from Pakistan at the stage.”

This is literally beyond my understanding.
How can this be done???#championstrophy2025 pic.twitter.com/CPIUgevFj9

— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) March 9, 2025

While Shoaib Akhtar’s remarks have stirred debate, fans remain divided on the intention behind his comments. It remains unclear whether he was directing his criticism towards the PCB for failing to show up for the Champions Trophy presentation ceremony or the ICC for not including representatives from the host nation.

The confusion surrounding the absence of PCB officials at the ceremony has since reportedly been clarified by an ICC spokesperson. According to reports from India Today, the spokesperson explained that PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi could not attend the ceremony due to prior commitments as the federal minister for interior. Consequently, he did not travel to Dubai for the final.

Adding to the confusion, it was reported that PCB CEO Sumair Ahmed, who also served as the tournament’s director, was in Dubai for the closing ceremony but was not invited to the event due to a “communication error” between PCB officials and the ICC.

During the Champions Trophy presentation ceremony, the trophy was handed to Indian captain Rohit Sharma by ICC chairman Jay Shah, while BCCI president Roger Binny presented the white blazers to the winning team. Other dignitaries on stage included former Australian captain Aaron Finch and BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia.

The absence of PCB officials at the ceremony has added to the list of controversies surrounding the 2025 Champions Trophy, both on and off the field. While the tournament has officially concluded with India lifting the trophy, the off-field disputes continue to fuel discussions. As Pakistan and India prepare to face each other in future competitions, the fallout from this controversy may linger as part of the ongoing narrative.