The Board of Control for Cricket in India will lodge a formal complaint with the International Cricket Council against Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi’s decision to walk away with the Asia Cup trophy and the winners’ medals after India refused to accept them from him.
Naqvi, also the Asian Cricket Council chief and interior minister of Pakistan, didn’t budge from his position, which resulted in the presentation being delayed by more than an hour after Rinku Singh had hit the winning runs in Dubai on Sunday.
Infuriated BCCI bigwigs have decided to take the matter up at the ICC conclave next month. The issue doesn’t concern the ICC but the BCCI wants to make it official by raising it at the highest forum.
Tilak Varma, Kuldeep Yadav and Abhishek Sharma, however, collected their individual awards from the sponsors with Naqvi present on the dais.
Sources revealed that Emirates Cricket Board vice-chairman Khalid Al Zarooni and the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s Aminul Islam had offered to present the winner’s trophy, an arrangement India were ready to accept. However, Naqvi insisted on presenting the trophy himself.
It is understood that at one point the Indians had toyed with the idea of sending bowling coach Morne Morkel, a former South Africa fast bowler, to accept the trophy on their behalf.
After the presentation ended abruptly, with Pakistan having been awarded the runners-up trophy and Naqvi having left, the Indian players and support staff celebrated with the “champions” signage but without the trophy.
“This is one thing which I have never seen since I have started playing cricket, since I have started following cricket — that a champion team is denied a trophy,” captain Suryakumar Yadav said at a news conference late on Sunday.
“That too a hard-earned one; it’s not like we got it easily. It was a hard-earned tournament (win). We have been here since the 4th (September), playing two back-to-back good games. I feel we deserved it. I can’t say anything more, I think I have summed it up really well....
“If you tell me about the trophies, my trophies are sitting in the dressing room, all the 14 guys, all the support staff. Those are the real trophies who I have been a big fan of throughout this journey of Asia Cup. Those are the real trophies, the real moments which I am taking back as lovely memories and which will stay forever.”
India’s stance to not accept the trophy from Naqvi was expected. They refused to shake hands with the Pakistani players during any of their three matches, either at the toss or after the conclusion.
Surya has decided to donate his match fees to the victims of the Pahalgam attack.
“I have decided to donate my match fees from this tournament to support our Armed Forces and the families of the victims who suffered from the Pahalgam terror attack. You always remain in my thoughts. Jai Hind,” Surya wrote on X.
Pakistan captain Salman Agha accused India of “disrespecting” the game.
“If the ACC has a president, then it’s his job to give the trophy. If you don’t want to take it from him, then how else will you get it?” Agha said.
“What happened in this tournament, I think it is very disappointing.... I don’t want to use very harsh words but to be very honest, this is very disrespectful to the game, not anyone else.”