The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) filed an official complaint with the ICC on Tuesday after controversy erupted when Sumair Ahmed, the PCB’s chief operating officer and the tournament director of the Champions Trophy, was ignored for the trophy presentation ceremony at the end of the final on Sunday. However, the apex body is unlikely to give any ‘formal clarification’ to PCB.
India beat New Zealand by four wickets in the final in Dubai on Sunday, lifting the Champions Trophy for an unprecedented third time in history. With PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi not present at the venue for the match, Sumair was sent In his stead as a representative of the Pakistani board. However, ICC ignored his presence and did not call him to the stage for the trophy presentation ceremony.
BCCI president Roger Binny presented the white jackets to Indian 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 on stage. It must be mentioned that Saikia is the BCCI Director on the ICC board, and Binny is the Alternate Director.
“We have filed a formal complaint with the ICC as what happened is unacceptable to us,” a PCB official told PTI on Tuesday.
Despite PCB’s complaint, the report added ICC sources confirming that Pakistan won’t get any formal explanation. The sources reminded that the tournament protocol left ICC with no choice but to snub Sumair from the ceremony.
“If the PCB mandarins look up, even ICC CEO Geoff Allardice wasn’t present on stage. The reason is protocol,” said the ICC source. “Sumair Ahmed is an employee of the PCB and not an office-bearer. Also please check when has a tournament director been on stage for presentation?
“We can give an example. ICC’s new head of operations and communications Gaurav Saxena was once Tournament Director for Asia Cup in Dubai. Was he on stage for final presentation,” the source added.
