Wasim Akram reacts to PCB’s absence from Champions Trophy presentation ceremony

Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram expressed concerns over the absence of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials during the presentation ceremony of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final in Dubai on Sunday.

Despite Pakistan being the official host of the tournament, there was no PCB representative on stage when India claimed their third Champions Trophy title by defeating New Zealand.

While speaking on the topic during a post-match programme, Wasim expressed surprise over the absence of the officials.

The pacer said that, to the best of his knowledge, the PCB chairman could not attend the presentation due to illness and was represented by PCB COO Sumair Ahmed and Director International Cricket Usman Wahla instead.

“We [Pakistan] were the hosts, weren’t we?

“Then the chief operating officer or whoever was representing the PCB chairman, why were they absent from the stage during the ceremony? Were they not invited? it definitely looked odd to me sitting here as well,” he said.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Wasim Akram further reiterated that there should have been some representation from Pakistan.

“A Pakistani should have been on the stage, even if they didn’t hand over the cup or medals, in my opinion,” he concluded.

Additionally, the International Cricket Council (ICC) clarified the reason for the absence of PCB officials from the Champions Trophy 2025 final ceremony.

An ICC spokesperson explained that PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who was the official representative of the host board, had been invited to attend the ceremony but was unable to attend.

“Mr. Naqvi was unavailable and did not travel to Dubai for the final,” the spokesperson stated.

The apex cricketing body further emphasized its long-standing protocol regarding such events while responding to the criticism about the lack of Pakistani representation on stage.

The spokesperson outlined that, according to ICC procedures, only the head of the host board—whether it be the president, vice president, chairman, or CEO—is invited to be part of the awards ceremony.

Read: Mohsin Naqvi hails collective efforts behind successful hosting of Champions Trophy

No Champions Trophy final deals one last blow to hosts Pakistan

Pakistan cricket fans and former players seethed Wednesday after the host country’s already disappointing Champions Trophy suffered one last blow: no final.

“It’s totally unfair,” said Moeed Ali Khan, a private car driver outside Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium to watch the second semi-final between South Africa and New Zealand.

“I am disgusted, neither our team is in the final nor is the final in Pakistan.”

Pakistan celebrated on February 19 when the country began staging its first major international cricket tournament in three decades.

But it was all downhill after that.

The hosts lost the opening match to New Zealand and their title defence was over with a comprehensive defeat to arch-rivals India.

Their dead-rubber final group match, against Bangladesh, was washed out.

This Sunday’s final was scheduled for Lahore, but with one big caveat: not if India reached the title decider.

By defeating Australia in the first semi-final on Tuesday, India did just that.

India have played all their games, including the Australia clash, in Dubai after refusing to visit neighbouring Pakistan because of political tensions.

The final will also be at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Catch every Champions Trophy update here!

Pakistan only agreed to the so-called hybrid model of hosting on the condition that they will also not send their team to India for upcoming ICC events.

The arrangement, which saw other teams shuttle in and out of the UAE while India stayed put, underlined India’s outsized influence over cricket.

“We accepted this arrangement, so what is the fuss?” asked Abdul Samad, a cricket fan.

“When you do not have power you have to bow down and this is the bargain Pakistan had to do.

“No regrets for me. Our team and our cricket is lagging behind so we had to make a compromise.”

‘Double loss’

Others in Pakistan are not so pragmatic.

“No final in Pakistan after such a heavy investment on the venues is a blow,” former captain Rashid Latif told AFP.

“Pakistan is at the lowest level in terms of finances and team-wise as well, which is a double loss.”

Pakistan reportedly spent the equivalent of 16 million dollars to upgrade the three venues in Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi.

The country will reportedly get six million dollars in hosting fees from the ICC.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

But finances could be hit with the lack of interest in the 50-over tournament after the home team’s early exit.

Three of the matches in Pakistan were hit by bad weather and empty seats at games were noticeable.

“India have improved enormously and that has been evident in this event,” said Latif, reflecting on what has happened on the pitch.

“But I think politics has lowered the cricket a great deal.”

He added: “I think had they come to Pakistan and lifted the trophy in Lahore it would have been great.”

Latif says the repercussions of the split hosting will last beyond the Champions Trophy.

“This problem of one team not coming to another country and in future Pakistan not going to India will hit world cricket badly,” he said.

“It needs to be addressed quickly.”

Read: Miller’s century in vain as New Zealand outclass South Africa in Champions Trophy semi-final

BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla opens up on Pakistan-India bilateral series

LAHORE: Rajeev Shukla, the vice-president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), shared his views on the bilateral cricket series between the Pakistan and India teams during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final here at Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday.

While speaking to the media during the match between New Zealand and South Africa, Shukla emphasized that BCCI’s policy regarding bilateral series remains unchanged and that the Indian government will decide whether the team will travel to Pakistan.

“India and Pakistan will only play bilateral series in their respective countries, not at neutral venues. It is Indian board’s policy that bilateral series will be played on home soils,” he said.

Rajeev Shukla further praised Pakistan’s arrangement for the ICC Champions Trophy and expressed his delight at visiting Lahore.

Catch every Champions Trophy update here!

“It feels great to be here. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has made very good arrangements to organize the tournament,” he remarked.

Shukla mentioned that the current status of the Asia Cup remains unchanged while admitting that different countries want to host India-Pakistan matches and they have offered to stage them.

“World wants to host India-Pakistan matches. Multiple countries had offered to stage them,” said Shukla.

It is important to note that Pakistan and India last played a bilateral series in 2012-2013. During the successful tour of India, green shirts won the ODI series 2-1, while the T20I series ended in a 1-1 tie.

For the unversed, the full implications of the India’s refusal to play Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan were laid bare on Sunday as Australia and South Africa waited to find out whether they will play their semi-finals in Lahore or Dubai this week.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Political tensions between the neighbours mean India has not played a cricket match in Pakistan since 2008 and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) were not inclined to change the policy for the Champions Trophy, citing government advice over security issues.

As a result, although the rest of the tournament is taking place in Pakistan, India played all their group matches in Dubai and will play the final on 9 March at the Dubai International cricket stadium.

Read: Champions Trophy: Williamson, Ravindra’s centuries power NZ to 362 against SA in semi-final

Champions Trophy: Key South Africa player in doubt for semi-final, Linde called up as cover

Cricket South Africa (CSA) has named spin-bowling all-rounder George Linde as cover for Aiden Markram ahead of their ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final against New Zealand, scheduled in Lahore on Wednesday.

Markram, who injured his right hamstring while fielding against England, will undergo a fitness test at training on Tuesday to determine his availability for the semi-final against New Zealand.

The right-hander is the latest addition to South Africa’s injury woes. Before the tournament started, Anrich Nortje, Gerald Coetzee, Nandre Burger, Lizaad Williams – all fast bowlers – were ruled out.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

George Linde, the left-arm spin bowling allrounder, will join the South African squad as a traveling reserve as cover.

According to the reports, Linde will join the Proteas camp on Tuesday but will not officially replace the injured batter in the squad until he is ruled out and the ICC’s event technical committee confirms the replacement.

For the unversed, South Africa thrashed Afghanistan and England to reach the semi-final in the Champions Trophy. Their game against Australia was washed out due to rain.

Catch every Champions Trophy update here!

South Africa squad for Champions Trophy 2025:

Temba Bavuma (c), Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen.

Read: Smith, Carey’s half-centuries set India 265 to win in Champions Trophy semi-final

Jos Buttler steps down as England white-ball captain after Champions Trophy debacle

England skipper Jos Buttler has resigned as white-ball captain after the team’s group-stage exit in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

England ended their dismal campaign in eight- team tournament with defeats against Australia and Afghanistan.

Buttler announced his decision in a press conference on the eve of the team’s last group game, against South Africa.

He stated that resigning from captaincy was the right choice for both himself and the team.

“I’m going to stand down as England captain, it’s the right decision for me and the right decision for the team. Hopefully,somebody else who can come in alongside Baz [Brendon McCullum] will take the team to where it needs to be.” he stated.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

The 34-year-old batter who took over the captaincy from Eoin Morgan in 2022, further mentioned that he intends to continue playing for England and wants to wants to focus enjoying my cricket.

“I want to get back to really enjoying my cricket. The overriding emotions are still sadness and disappointment,” he remarked.

“I’m sure, in time, that will pass and I can get back to really enjoying my cricket, and [will] also be able to reflect on what an immense honour it is to captain your country and all the special things that come with it,” Buttler said.

Under Buttler’s captaincy, England won the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia. However, team has struggled since then.

Now, after three unsuccessful ICC events—the 2023 50-over World Cup, the 2024 T20 World Cup, and the 2025 Champions Trophy—Buttler has decided to step down.

Catch every Champions Trophy update here!

The explosive batter has led England in 44 ODIs, managing only 18 wins and suffering 25 losses.

On the contrary, he has a better record in the T20Is. Buttler has captained England in 51 T20 matches, winning 26 and losing 22. The World Cup triumph remains the most significant achievement of his captaincy tenure.

Earlier, following the defeat against Afghanistan, Buttler hinted about his future as captain in a post-match press conference, stating that he would “consider all possibilities.”

READ: Champions Trophy: Sediqullah’s 85, Omarzai’s 67 lift Afghanistan to 273 against Australia

Key England player ruled out of Champions Trophy, replacement named

LAHORE: England suffered a major blow as bowling all-rounder Brydon Carse has been ruled out for the remainder of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 after nursing an injury to his left toe.

Carse sustained the injury during England’s opening game against Australia on Saturday in Lahore.

The 29-year-old also missed the last two ODIs against India due to injury, but he played in the game against Australia.

Catch every Champions Trophy update here!

Brydon Carse struggled in the opening game after giving away 69 runs in his seven overs in a high-scoring encounter against the arch-rivals.

The young spinner Rehan Ahmed has been called up as his replacement. He will join the squad in Pakistan later this week.

Rehan, who has been instrumental in England’s recent success in Test matches, has played 6 One Day Internationals and has 10 wickets to his name.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

The 20-year-old leg spinner last played for the England team in an ODI in December 2023 against the West Indies.

For those unaware, England needs to win both of their remaining group-stage matches to qualify for the Champions Trophy 2025 semi-finals.

They will now face Afghanistan on 26 February at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

The team suffered a five-wicket defeat at the hands of arch-rivals Australia after posting a mammoth total in their campaign opener on Saturday.

England Update Squad for Champions Trophy 2025

Jos Buttler (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Tom Banton, Harry Brook, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Jamie Smith, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Saqib Mahmood, Phil Salt, Mark Wood, Rehand Ahmed

READ: Ravindra’s ton powers New Zealand past Bangladesh as Pakistan crash out

Salman Butt slams Pakistan cricket team after defeat to India

Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt criticized Pakistan’s team approach after their crushing defeat against arch-rivals India in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Pakistan suffered a crushing six-wicket defeat on Sunday against the arch-rivals India, leaving their title defence hanging by a thread.

While batting first, Pakistan managed a modest 241 before getting bowled out in the final over. In reply, India cruised to victory with 45 balls to spare, thanks to a masterclass from Virat Kohli, who notched up a brilliant century.

While speaking in a post-match show, Butt highlighted the green shirts’ struggles, lately, lamenting the team’s repetitive failures without learning.

Catch every Champions Trophy update here!

“The issue is not just losing, but the fact that there is no improvement. If mistakes keep changing, it means you are trying new things.”

“But Pakistan don’t seem to know how to construct an innings, post a total, or chase one in ODI format,” he said.

The former opener took a dig at the Pakistan team’s batting approach against India, arguing that the team failed to grab the advantage of winning the toss and batting first.

“We win the toss, bat first, and get five players set, yet no one scores big. Every other team has had at least one or two centurions, but no Pakistani batter has produced a match-winning innings,” he added.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Salman Butt noted that the team’s bowling unit could not pose a threat to the Indian batter and failed to deliver against them in a crucial match.

“We started well with the ball, but once Rohit Sharma stepped forward and attacked, our bowlers lost control. When batters use their feet, bowlers need to adjust, but Pakistan’s attack struggled under pressure,” he observed.

For the unversed, after the defeat against India, the hosts and defending champion Pakistan are on the verge of elimination from the tournament.

READ: Virat Kohli achieves yet another milestone in international cricket

Imam-ul-Haq shines with century against OGDCL in President’s Trophy Grade-I

KARACHI: Pakistan Television (PTV) opener Imam-ul-Haq scores a gutsy century against Oil & Gas Development Company (OGDCL) in the ongoing President Trophy Grade-I on Thursday here at the National Bank of Pakistan Sports Complex.

Imam, recently named in Pakistan’s Champions Trophy squad as a replacement for Fakhar Zaman, played a marathon innings on the second day of the match.

For the unversed, Fakhar sustained an injury in the first over of New Zealand’s innings in Karachi yesterday when he fell awkwardly while fielding, forcing him to leave the ground for medical assessment.

Though he attempted to return to the field after some time, he eventually walked off again, raising serious concerns about his fitness.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Despite the discomfort, Fakhar still came out to bat in Pakistan’s chase of 321 runs. However, he looked far from his usual fluent self, managing a scratchy 24 before getting dismissed.

Earlier today, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed that Fakhar Zaman could no longer participate in the Champions Trophy and named Imam-ul-Haq his replacement.

Imam’s marathon innings 158, which included 18 fours, helped PTV get close to the OGDCL first innings score of 278 runs in the President Trophy eighth round.

With the help of I-mam-ul-Haq’s resilient knock, PTV scored 273 runs for the loss of nine wickets.

For OGDCL, Mushtaq Ahmed was the standout bowler, taking a five-wicket haul.

In another match, fast bowlers Mir Hamza and Ubaid Shah starred for Ghani Glass against State Bank of Pakistan, taking six and four wickets in the second innings, respectively.

The former and latter took eight and nine wickets to lift their team to a good position in the match.

Ghani Glass posted 103 for 3 in their second innings, still trailing by 49 runs. The State Bank of Pakistan team was bundled out on 123 in their second innings.

READ: Rohit Sharma achieves major ODI milestone in Champions Trophy

Champions Trophy: Pakistan squad reaches Dubai for India clash

DUBAI: The Pakistan cricket squad has reached here today for the much-anticipated ICC Champions Trophy 2025 clash against arch-rivals India, scheduled to be played on Sunday.

The Green Shirts landed in Dubai after a change in their original travel schedule. Initially set to depart right after their match against New Zealand yesterday, the team instead flew out at noon today.

The Pakistan squad will rest for the day before hitting the nets tomorrow to bolster their preparation for the high-stakes Champions Trophy clash against India on February 23.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

The defending champions and hosts Pakistan began their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign with a 60-run loss against New Zealand yesterday.

During the match, the Green Shirts suffered a major blow as top-order batter Fakhar Zaman sustained an injury in the very first over of New Zealand’s innings as he fell awkwardly while fielding, forcing him to leave the ground for medical assessment.

Though he attempted to return to the field after some time, he eventually walked off again, raising serious concerns about his fitness.

Catch every Champions Trophy update here!

Despite the discomfort, Fakhar still came out to bat in Pakistan’s chase of 321 runs. However, he looked far from his usual fluent self, managing a scratchy 24 before getting dismissed.

Earlier today, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed that Fakhar Zaman can no longer participate in the mega-event and named Imam-ul-Haq as his replacement.

Pakistan squad for ICC Champions Trophy 2025

Mohammad Rizwan (c), Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha (vc), Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

READ: Fakhar Zaman reacts after being ruled out of Champions Trophy 2025

Imam-ul-Haq replaces Fakhar Zaman in Pakistan Champions Trophy 2025 squad

Left-handed opening batter Imam-ul-Haq has replaced injured opener Fakhar Zaman in the Pakistan squad ahead of the much-awaited ICC Champions Trophy 2025 clash against arch-rivals India.

Fakhar was ruled out of the Champions Trophy 2025 after he sustained an injury during Pakistan’s group-stage clash against New Zealand in Karachi yesterday.

The injury occurred in the very first over of New Zealand’s innings when Fakhar fell awkwardly while fielding, forcing him to leave the ground for medical assessment.

Though he attempted to return to the field after some time, he eventually walked off again, raising serious concerns about his fitness.

Imam-ul-Haq, who recently represented Pakistan Shaheens in the Champions Trophy warm-up match against South Africa, was later confirmed to replace Fakhar in the squad.

“The Event Technical Committee of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 has approved Imam-ul-Haq as a replacement for Fakhar Zaman in the Pakistan squad” the PCB stated in a media release.

“Twenty-nine-year-old Imam, who has played 72 ODIs, was named as a replacement after Fakhar was ruled out due to an oblique injury.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“The replacement of a player requires the approval of the Event Technical Committee before the player can be officially added to the squad.”

Imam played his last of 72 ODIs against South Africa during the ICC ODI World Cup 2023. He has scored 3,138 runs at an impressive average of 48.27, featuring nine centuries and 20 half-centuries.

Meanwhile, his last international match was the Boxing Day Test against Australia in December 2023 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

The defending champions and hosts Pakistan began their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign with a 60-run loss against New Zealand yesterday.

They will now travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the much-awaited clash against arch-rivals India at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on February 23. Pakistan will then return home to face Bangladesh in Rawalpindi on February 27.

Pakistan squad for ICC Champions Trophy 2025

READ: Virat Kohli set to break another Sachin Tendulkar record