DUBAI – ACC President Mohsin Naqvi said Indian cricket team can collect Asia Cup trophy from his ACC office if they want it, days after Men in Blue painted gentleman’s game with dirty politics.
During the meeting, Rajeev Shukla, head of the Indian Cricket Board, reportedly requested the trophy from Naqvi. However, Naqvi responded that it was not on the meeting’s agenda and no official decision could be made regarding handing over the trophy to the Indian team.
The incident follows Indian team’s refusal to accept the Asia Cup trophy directly from Naqvi after winning the final, highlighting lingering tensions between the board and ACC leadership.
After defeating Pakistan by five wickets in Asia Cup final this Sunday, Indian cricket team refused to accept trophy from ACC President Mohsin Naqvi, who is also Pakistan’s Interior Minister and PCB chairman. The post-match ceremony was delayed by over an hour, with speculation that India’s reluctance caused the hold-up.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said India’s decision was due to Naqvi’s political position, adding that the team expected the trophy and medals to be returned promptly. India plans to raise a formal protest at the ICC conference in Dubai in November.
During the ceremony, Indian players received their individual awards from other officials, while Pakistan captain Salman Agha accepted the runners-up cheque. The trophy was removed from the stage without explanation, and India celebrated on the podium with an imaginary trophy.
India’s ugly stance was consistent throughout the tournament, as they also refused to shake hands with Pakistan players in all three matches. The series saw heated exchanges, with fines issued to Suryakumar Yadav and Haris Rauf for prior conduct.
