The International Cricket Council (ICC) has dismissed the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) complaint regarding the prize distribution at the Champions Trophy. This decision has further embarrassed PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and the board.
Contents
ICC Rejects Pakistan Cricket Board’s Complaint
The PCB lodged a complaint about the absence of a Pakistani representative during the Champions Trophy award ceremony. The board alleged that Sumair Ahmed, the PCB’s Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Director of the Champions Trophy, was not invited to the stage despite being present at the Dubai stadium. However, ICC officials have firmly rejected this claim, stating that he was not required to be on stage.
An ICC official clarified, “Sumair Ahmed is an employee of the PCB, not an official board member. There has never been a precedent where the tournament director was present on the award stage. For example, when ICC official Gaurav Saxena was the Director of the Asia Cup, he was not invited on stage either. The PCB can raise complaints, but the rules remain unchanged. We invited Naqvi, but he chose not to attend.”
Controversy Over Absence of Pakistani Officials on Stage
As the host nation of the Champions Trophy, Pakistan expected an official PCB representative to attend the awards ceremony. However, despite Indian Cricket Board President Roger Binny, Secretary Debjit Shaikiya, and ICC Chairman Jay Shah being present on stage, no Pakistani official was seen. The Indian representatives distributed medals and presented the championship trophy to Rohit Sharma, fueling further controversy.
This exclusion has led PCB officials to seek an explanation from the ICC. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi could not travel to Dubai because of his existing responsibilities as a provincial minister.Instead, we sent our CEO, but he was not invited to the stage,” stated a PCB official.
ICC Stands by Its Decision
In response, the ICC reiterated that only board officials, such as the president, vice president, chairman, or secretary, are eligible to attend the award ceremony. Since no such PCB official was available, no representative from Pakistan was included.
An ICC representative stated that Mohsin Naqvi was not available on the day of the final.The regulations clearly state that only board officials can be on stage, and no other PCB representatives were present. Despite Pakistan being the host nation, the board needed to ensure that an eligible official attended the event.”
Pakistan‘s Frustration with the ICC
The PCB remains dissatisfied with the ICC’s explanation, viewing the decision as part of a broader pattern of unfair treatment. In addition to the prize distribution issue, Pakistan has raised concerns about other incidents during the Champions Trophy, including the unexpected modification of the tournament logo during the India-Bangladesh match and the playing of the Indian national anthem before the Australia-England match.
While the PCB has filed multiple complaints regarding these incidents, the ICC has largely ignored them, further straining relations between the two entities. Pakistan perceives these decisions as biased and is expected to push for more excellent representation and fairness in future tournaments.
Conclusion
The ICC’s rejection of PCB’s complaint has increased tensions between the governing body and the Pakistan Cricket Board. With Pakistan hosting the Champions Trophy, excluding its representatives from the award ceremony has sparked significant controversy. As the PCB demands answers, the ICC remains firm, citing established rules and precedents. This ongoing dispute underscores the challenges facing international cricket governance and the delicate balance of power among cricketing nations.
