The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has taken a firm stance in the ongoing Asia Cup trophy dispute, sending an official email to Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Mohsin Naqvi. The email unequivocally demands that Naqvi release the Asia Cup trophy to India, the undisputed champions. Crucially, the BCCI has warned of escalating the issue to the International Cricket Council (ICC) should Naqvi fail to address their concerns promptly.
The crux of the matter lies in Naqvi’s alleged possession of the trophy after India’s victory. Reports suggest that after the final match, India declined to accept the trophy and winner’s medals from Naqvi, who concurrently serves as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman and Pakistan’s Interior Minister. Consequently, Naqvi reportedly took the trophy with him, and it is now located at the ACC offices in Dubai.
This trophy controversy adds to the already charged atmosphere of the tournament, which saw prior incidents involving a lack of customary handshakes between the Indian and Pakistani teams. The Indian team’s decision to avoid accepting the trophy directly from Naqvi has fueled discussions about sportsmanship and protocol. India’s T20 captain, Suryakumar Yadav, voiced his surprise at the situation, noting it as an unprecedented scenario where a winning team was seemingly denied its rightful prize, though he affirmed the team’s pride in their collected medals and trophies.