Guwahati, Sept 29: A fresh controversy has erupted in international cricket after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) lodged a strong protest over the Asia Cup trophy and individual medals allegedly being taken away by Mohsin Naqvi, a senior Pakistani cricket official, following India’s 5-wicket win over Pakistan in the final.
According to reports, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed that Team India had deliberately refused to accept the trophy from Naqvi, who currently serves as the chairman of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).
“We had decided not to take the trophy from the ACC chairman, who happens to be one of the leading leaders of Pakistan. But that does not mean the gentleman will take away the trophy along with the medals. It is very unfortunate, very unsporting, and we hope the trophy and medals will be returned to India as soon as possible,”
– Devajit Saikia, BCCI Secretary
Saikia further stated that the BCCI plans to formally raise the matter at the ICC conference in November, calling it an unprecedented act in modern cricket diplomacy.
The incident has overshadowed what was otherwise a dominant performance by India, who registered their third win over Pakistan in this Asia Cup edition. The controversy has also triggered strong reactions among fans across both nations, with many calling for a diplomatic response from the ICC to prevent such incidents in future tournaments.
