The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has raised concerns over the International Cricket Council (ICC) sidelining its representative during the Champions Trophy final ceremony in Dubai. Despite PCB’s Chief Operating Officer, Sumair Ahmed Syed, serving as the tournament director, he was not invited to the stage alongside other dignitaries.
The PCB argues that this decision undermines Pakistan’s role as the official host and breaches standard protocol. In response, the ICC stated that only board presidents, vice presidents, chairmen, or CEOs are typically included in the post-match presentation. However, the PCB countered that, in the absence of a CEO, the COO usually assumes equivalent duties.
This is not the first issue the PCB has raised regarding the ICC’s handling of the tournament. Other grievances include Pakistan’s name being omitted from the Champions Trophy logo during a live broadcast and the Indian national anthem mistakenly played before an Australia-England match in Lahore. The PCB views these incidents as signs of bias and has urged the ICC to uphold neutrality and fairness in international cricket.
