Poonam Nath

Champions Trophy Ceremony 'apology row': PCB unlikely to get any official clarification from ICC

Digital Desk: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) filed an official complaint with the ICC on Tuesday after a controversy emerged when Sumair Ahmed, the PCB's chief operations officer, and Champions Trophy tournament director, was snubbed during the trophy presentation ceremony at the end of the final on Sunday.

However, the apex body is unlikely to issue any 'formal explanation' to the PCB.

India defeated New Zealand by four wickets in the final in Dubai on Sunday, winning the Champions Trophy for the third time in history.

Sumair was assigned as a representative of the Pakistani board in place of PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who was not present at the match venue. However, ICC ignored his presence and did not summon him to the platform during the trophy presentation ceremony.

ICC answers to PCB, despite the PCB's objection, the report included ICC sources indicating that Pakistan will not receive a formal explanation. According to the sources, the tournament protocol required the ICC to exclude Sumair from the ceremony.

"If the PCB mandarins look up, even ICC CEO Geoff Allardice was not on stage. "The reason is protocol," explained the ICC source. "Sumair Ahmed is a PCB employee, not an office bearer. Also, when has a tournament director been on stage for a presentation?

"We can provide a concrete instance. Gaurav Saxena, ICC's new head of operations and communications, was previously the Tournament Director for the Asia Cup in Dubai. "Was he on stage for the final presentation?" the source said.

In reactin tothe outlook, the PCB termed the response "illogical," sticking to their demand for a "full public clarification" against the "unjust treatment" by the ICC.

"We don't understand the reasoning stated for not bringing our COO and tournament director on stage for the closing presentation. We are waiting for a formal clarification/apology," the PCB official stated. "We are appalled by this blatant disregard for Pakistan's role as the host nation."

"Providing justifications that the ICC only invites CEOs, chairmen, vice-chairmen, and secretaries to the ceremony is irrational. We want a full public clarification and assurance that such biased and unjust treatment will not occur again, or we will take this matter to the Board of Governors," he said.

Furthermore, BCCI president Roger Binny handed out white jackets to Indian players and medals to match officials, while ICC chairman Jay Shah handed over the trophy to skipper Rohit Sharma and awarded medals to winners.

Devajit Saikia, the BCCI secretary, and Roger Twose, the CEO of New Zealand Cricket, were also on stage. It should be noted that Saikia is the BCCI Director on the ICC board, while Binny is the Alternate Director.