‘ICC confirmed us the mirror. It felt like IPL in Dubai’: PCB shredded in hot-headed rant for Pakistan no-show throughout closing
Former Pakistan cricketer Kamran Akmal has strongly criticized the absence of a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) consultant in the course of the presentation ceremony of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 closing. Regardless of Pakistan being the official host of the match, no PCB official was current on the rostrum when the post-match accolades have been handed out, a state of affairs that left many questioning the ICC’s resolution.
The PCB has since lodged a proper grievance with the Worldwide Cricket Council (ICC), searching for clarification over why their representatives have been excluded. Nevertheless, Akmal believes Pakistan’s dismal efficiency within the match was accountable and urged that their cricketing requirements didn’t advantage illustration on the grand stage.
“The ICC confirmed us the mirror. The match’s director (Sumair) was there. He was out there, and why wasn’t he within the ceremony? It’s as a result of we don’t should be there. We’re not taking part in good cricket. Minnow groups have proven us the mirror. Nobody mentioned how Pakistan hosted the match. If we play such cricket, we might be handled like this. When you play for your self, there might be no respect,” Akmal said on his YouTube channel.
Throughout the closing ceremony, BCCI president Roger Binny, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, ICC chairman Jay Shah, and New Zealand Cricket’s CEO Roger Twose have been current on stage to distribute trophies and medals.
Nevertheless, Sumair Ahmed, the PCB’s chief working officer and match director, remained absent from the rostrum, which additional fueled PCB’s frustration. Pakistan’s legendary pacer Shoaib Akhtar additionally voiced his disappointment over the matter, expressing his considerations in a video posted on social media.
‘It felt like an IPL occasion’
Along with his criticism of Pakistan’s absence from the ceremony, Akmal took situation with the leisure preparations in the course of the mid-innings break. He lamented the truth that no Pakistani artists have been invited to carry out, regardless of Pakistan being the match’s designated host.
“It was our occasion, we hosted it. It ought to’ve been our entertainers who ought to’ve gone to carry out within the mid-innings break, too. Atif Aslam made the anthem, he ought to’ve gone there. There was no illustration from our nation. It felt prefer it was an IPL occasion, the best way they organised it in Dubai,” Akmal added.
Earlier than the match started, PCB had already confronted hurdles, notably because of India’s refusal to journey to Pakistan for safety and political causes. Ultimately, a hybrid mannequin was agreed upon, with India taking part in all their matches in Dubai.
