In a significant development concerning the Asia Cup, the BCCI has officially communicated its displeasure to ACC chief Mohsin Naqvi via email, demanding the return of the championship trophy to India. The Board has issued a stern warning, indicating that it will seek intervention from the International Cricket Council (ICC) if the trophy is not promptly handed over to the victorious Indian team.
The current situation involves the ACC chief, who is also the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and serves as Pakistan’s Interior Minister, reportedly retaining possession of the trophy. This came after the Indian squad chose not to accept the trophy and winner’s medals directly from Naqvi following their triumph in the final. The silverware is now understood to be at the ACC’s Dubai base.
This trophy-related controversy follows other notable incidents during the Asia Cup, including a perceived ‘no-handshake’ policy between India and Pakistan in their recent matches. The Indian team’s stance on receiving the trophy has generated considerable discussion. Suryakumar Yadav, India’s T20 captain, expressed his astonishment at the turn of events, stating that he had never witnessed a champion team being denied its trophy. He emphasized that the team considered the trophies and medals secured in their dressing room as the true symbols of their hard-fought victory.