Pakistan takes pride in hosting Champions Trophy: PCB chairman Naqvi
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Monday expressed immense pride in hosting the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, calling it a “historic event for cricket fans worldwide.”
India emerged victorious in the final, defeating New Zealand by four wickets at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. The eight-team tournament was officially hosted by Pakistan, but India refused to travel there, playing all their matches in Dubai.
This was Pakistan’s first time hosting a major ICC tournament since co-hosting the 1996 ODI World Cup with India and Sri Lanka.
“I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated PCB team, vigilant law enforcement agencies, provincial governments, ICC officials, and the phenomenal cricket teams that traveled to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025. Your collective efforts made this tournament a resounding success,” Naqvi wrote on X.
“Pakistan takes immense pride in hosting this global spectacle, and your contributions have truly made it a historic event for cricket fans worldwide,” he added.
The tournament was played across three Pakistan venues—Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi—while India’s matches, including the final, were held in Dubai.
Pakistan’s absence in presentation ceremony sparks criticism
Former Pakistan cricketers Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhtar criticized the PCB for failing to have a representative at the Champions Trophy final presentation ceremony in Dubai.
Despite Pakistan being the official host, no PCB official was present during the prize distribution. Instead, ICC Chairman Jay Shah handed the trophy to Indian captain Rohit Sharma, while BCCI chief Roger Binny presented the champions’ white blazers.
Akram expressed disappointment on the Dressing Room show, stating, “We were the host, weren’t we? Why wasn’t even the PCB COO or anyone representing Pakistan on stage? Whether or not they handed over the trophy, someone should have been there.”
Shoaib Akhtar also voiced his concerns on X, writing, “Pakistan hosted the Champions Trophy, but no PCB representative was present at the final. It is beyond me. Think about it—we were the host, yet no one from Pakistan was there to present the trophy. Feeling very down to see that.”
The absence of PCB officials at the grand finale has raised questions about Pakistan’s role in hosting the prestigious tournament.
