Dubai: In a meeting held on Tuesday, September 30, Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Chief and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi apologized to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Despite this, Naqvi is reported to be returning to Lahore today while the controversy surrounding the Asia Cup trophy persists. Naqvi has maintained his position of not returning the trophy and medals awarded to Indian players.
Sources indicate that Naqvi has requested Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav to travel to Dubai to collect the trophy. The BCCI has responded skeptically, remarking, “He didn’t collect the trophy when you were there in front of him, you think he will come now?”
BCCI officials Rajeev Shukla and Ashish Shelar attended the ACC meeting, where they pressed Naqvi about the ongoing trophy dispute, urging him to return the trophy to the Asia Cup winners, India. In the discussion, Naqvi acknowledged that the events of the presentation ceremony were inappropriate but stood firm on his refusal to return the trophy.
While other items were on the agenda, they were overshadowed by the unresolved issue of the trophy.
BCCI Plans to Lodge a Complaint with ICC
Following the ACC meeting, reports surfaced indicating that the BCCI intends to file a complaint against Mohsin Naqvi with the International Cricket Council (ICC), as the Asia Cup is a tournament sanctioned by the global governing body. The decision regarding the trophy has reportedly been left to the five Test-playing nations: India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
Background of the Presentation Ceremony Incident
To provide context, the controversy erupted at the conclusion of the Asia Cup final between India and Pakistan. The award ceremony was significantly delayed, lasting over an hour, as Naqvi resisted returning the trophy, with the Indian team refusing to accept it from him. He remained on stage for an extended period, but apart from receiving individual awards, no Indian players approached the stage to accept the trophy. Ultimately, Naqvi exited the event with the winners’ medal and the trophy, igniting a substantial debate within the cricketing community.
