India’s Asia Cup triumph turned into a night of controversy after the team refused to accept the trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan Cricket Board chairman and Pakistan’s interior minister.
India defeated Pakistan by five wickets in a tense final that ended around 10:30 pm local time, but the post-match presentation was delayed by more than an hour amid speculation about India’s protest. When the ceremony finally began, Indian players collected their individual awards from other dignitaries, carefully avoiding Naqvi.
“We have decided not to take the Asia Cup trophy from the ACC chairman, who happens to be one of the main leaders of Pakistan,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia told ANI. “This is unfortunate, but we hope the trophy and medals will be handed over to us soon.” He added that the BCCI would lodge a “serious and strong protest” at the upcoming ICC conference in Dubai this November, as quoted. By ESPN.
Presenter Simon Doull confirmed during the broadcast that India had declined to collect the trophy. Pakistan captain Salman Agha received the runners-up cheque, but the championship prize was quietly removed from the stage without explanation.
India captain Suryakumar Yadav called the situation “unprecedented,” stating: “A champion team being denied a trophy, I’ve never seen this before. For me, the real trophies are the teammates and staff who stood with me throughout this tournament,” ESPN quoted.
The Indian players later celebrated on the podium, holding up an “imaginary trophy” to mark their victory, while Naqvi and other dignitaries exited the stage.
Tensions had been brewing throughout the tournament, with India refusing to shake hands with Pakistan players and heated exchanges marking their earlier clashes. Both sides had players fined for on-field conduct.
The Asia Cup win adds another feather to India’s cricketing success, but the refusal to accept the trophy underscores the continuing political strain between the two nations, spilling directly onto the cricket field.