Asia Cup Trophy controversy: India grills ACC chief Mohsin Naqvi at Asian Cricket Council; to file complaint with ICC
PTC Web Desk: India raised strong objections at the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting on Tuesday, targeting Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi over the controversial Asia Cup trophy incident. The dispute erupted after the final match, when India refused to accept the trophy from Naqvi, who then took it into his personal custody.
BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla, representing India at the meeting, questioned Naqvi’s conduct, highlighting that the trophy is ACC property and should have been formally handed over to the winning Indian team. Shukla demanded immediate resolution of the matter, noting that Naqvi had taken the trophy to his hotel room rather than presenting it properly.
The discussion turned tense as Naqvi defended himself, claiming that the Indian team had not formally refused the trophy in writing and expressed displeasure at being publicly criticised. He suggested that further discussions be held on a different platform, avoiding resolution during the meeting.
Naqvi initially declined to congratulate the Indian team for their tournament victory. Only after repeated prompting by BCCI representative Ashish Shelar did he offer formal congratulations. Despite this, Naqvi refused to hand over the trophy immediately, prompting strong objections from the BCCI, which insisted that the trophy rightfully belongs to India and offered to collect it directly from the ACC office.
The BCCI has announced plans to file an official complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC) over the incident.
Background of the trophy fiasco
The controversy arose during the post-match ceremony when India chose not to accept the trophy and medals on the night of the final. Reports confirmed that the trophy was taken to Naqvi’s hotel room, preventing India from celebrating their victory in the customary manner. Indian players had been ready to receive the trophy from Emirates Cricket Board vice-chairman Khalid Al Zarooni, but the ACC reportedly rejected this arrangement.
Despite the procedural snags, India celebrated their triumph on the field, with players subtly criticising Naqvi’s handling of the situation.
- With inputs from agencies
