Trophy Row
Mohsin Naqvi refuses to handover Asia Cup trophy to India, asks Suryakumar to collect it in person: Reports
Dubai/IBNS: Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chief and Pakistan Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who took the Asia Cup trophy with him after he was boycotted by India, has refused to handover the cup to the winners escalating the tiff between the arch-rivals, media reports said.
Naqvi, who also happens to be the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief, has asked India captain Suryakumar Yadav to collect it from the ACC office in person.
The matter came up during a routine ACC meeting in Dubai.
When the Indian cricket board BCCI's officials demanded Naqvi to transfer the trophy to the International Cricket Council (ICC) headquarters, Naqvi deflected the issue stating it was not the agenda of the meeting.
On BCCI's further insistence, Naqvi asked Suryakumar to collect it from the ACC office in person.
A massive drama unfolded after India won the Asia Cup title on Sunday as the cricketers maintained their stance refusing to shake hands with their counterparts and not turning up to receive the trophy and medals from Naqvi, who was snubbed and made to wait for an hour on the podium.
The Indian team had requested for the trophy to be handed over by the vice-chairman of Emirates Cricket Board but Mohsin refused to give up.
After India boycotted the presentation ceremony, Naqvi departed and also took the trophy and other medals with him, triggering a fresh faceoff between the countries that played the matches in this Asia Cup in the shadow of Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor.
Team India celebrated their victory without a trophy later.
Operation Sindoor was conducted from May 7 to 10 by the Indian Armed Forces to bust the terrorist hideouts in Pakistan in response to the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians in Jammu and Kashmir.
BCCI has expressed displeasure over Naqvi's act of taking away the trophy and medals, which were meant for Team India players who defeated Pakistan in the final by five wickets.
Speaking to ANI, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said, "We have decided not to take the trophy from the ACC chairman, who happens to be one of the main leaders of Pakistan. So we decided not to take it from him. But that does not mean that the gentleman will take away the trophy with him, along with the medals.
"So it is very unfortunate and we hope that the trophy and the medals will be returned to India as soon as possible...There is an ICC conference in November in Dubai. In the next conference, we are going to launch a very serious and very strong protest against the act of the ACC chairperson"
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