PCB protests ICC exclusion of CEO from Champions Trophy ceremony

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to register its protest with the ICC for ignoring its CEO and Champions Trophy tournament director Sumair Ahmed Syed during the event's closing ceremony in Dubai.

A source in the PCB said on Monday that chairman Mohsin Naqvi was not satisfied with the explanation given by the ICC for not having Ahmed on stage at the presentation ceremony on Sunday.

"The ICC, apparently, has said it had prepared for Mohsin Naqvi to be on stage so when he didn't show up for the final, they changed their plan," the source said.

"The ICC only invites the head of the host board such as the president, vice president, chairman, or CEO - to participate in the awards ceremony.

Other board officials, even if present at the venue, are not part of the stage proceedings," the ICC spokesperson added.

India beat New Zealand by four wickets in the title clash.

The PCB has rejected this explanation and noted that the ICC had made a number of errors during the tournament regarding Pakistan's status as host nation.

This included changing the CT 2025 logo in the live broadcasts feed of the India versus Bangladesh game and then playing the Indian national anthem in the Australia versus England match in Lahore.

The ICC claimed due to a mix up with the playlist the Indian national anthem was played for a few seconds before the error was corrected.

BCCI president Roger Binny presented the white jackets to India players and the medals to match officials, while ICC chairman Jay Shah handed the trophy to skipper Rohit Sharma and gave the medals to the winners.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia and New Zealand Cricket's CEO Roger Twose were also present on stage.

Meanwhile, the PCB chairman has extended his gratitude to his team, law enforcement agencies, provincial governments, ICC officials and the visiting teams for the success of the tournament.

"Your commitment and collective efforts ensured the seamless execution of the prestigious tournament," he said on his social media handle.

"Pakistan takes immense pride in hosting the Champions trophy and making it a spectacle for cricket fans worldwide."