As India lifted the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, led by Rohit Sharma, the spotlight soon shifted to an unusual controversy—the absence of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials during the presentation ceremony. Speculation has emerged that PCB members may have boycotted the event, with former cricketers Shoaib Akhtar and Wasim Akram raising questions about the situation.
Shoaib Akhtar’s concerns
Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar was among the first to express his surprise at the lack of PCB representation on the podium.
“India have won the Champions Trophy title. But I observed a strange thing—no one from the Pakistan Cricket Board was present. Pakistan are the hosts of the Champions Trophy. I don’t understand the logic,” Akhtar said.
“Why did no one from PCB come to represent the board or present the trophy? It is beyond me. This is the world stage; they should have been here.”
Wasim Akram joins the debate
Following Akhtar’s remarks, Wasim Akram also raised the issue, suggesting that someone from PCB should have been on stage even if Chairman Mohsin Naqvi was unwell.
“From what I have learned, the chairman wasn’t well, but the people from PCB who were at the final were Sumair Ahmad and Usman Wahla. These two were present, but neither of them was on the stage,” Akram stated on Sports Central’s ‘Dressing Room’ show.
“The question now is that we were the hosts, weren’t we? How come even the CEO of PCB or whoever was representing the chairman was not on the stage? Was he not invited? I don’t know the full story, but it definitely looked odd to me. Even if he didn’t present the cup, someone should have been there.”
Unanswered questions
While there is no official statement from PCB, the absence of their representatives at an ICC event they were technically hosting has raised eyebrows. Whether it was a deliberate snub, a logistical issue, or a miscommunication remains unclear.
For now, India’s historic victory takes center stage, but this controversy may continue to spark debate in cricketing circles.
