The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has formally requested the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chief, Mohsin Naqvi, to return the Asia Cup trophy. Reports indicate that the BCCI has sent an email to Naqvi, who also holds the positions of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman and Pakistan’s Interior Minister, asserting that the silverware was unjustly withheld. The email reportedly includes a stern warning: if the trophy is not promptly handed over to the rightful champions, India, the BCCI will escalate the matter to the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The controversy erupted after the Asia Cup final when India, the tournament victors, reportedly declined to accept the trophy and medals from Naqvi. Following India’s refusal, Naqvi is said to have taken the trophy away from the venue. The silverware is currently being held at the ACC headquarters in Dubai.
This incident adds another layer to the already tense atmosphere surrounding the Asia Cup, which saw a ‘no-handshake’ controversy in previous matches between India and Pakistan. India’s decision to avoid accepting the trophy directly from Naqvi, who is a prominent figure in both Pakistani cricket and politics, has sparked significant debate within the cricketing community. India’s T20 captain, Suryakumar Yadav, had previously expressed his bewilderment at the situation, stating that he had never witnessed a winning team being denied their trophy, calling the medals and trophies in the dressing room the ‘real trophies’.
