Introduction
The BCCI had directed their Asian Cricket Council points-person that the team will not take the award from Mohsin Naqvi, who possesses a distinct anti-India attitude, and would celebrate, empty-handed on stage.
In the Asia Cup, India beat Pakistan by chasing 147 runs on three consecutive Sundays, and after a thrilling five-wicket win in the Asia Cup final in Dubai on Sunday, was awarded the Asian champions.
In an unparalleled turn of events within Dubai, Mohsin Naqvi, Pakistan’s Interior Minister, within his capacity as the chairman of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), denied the Asia Cup Trophy to the Indian cricket team, after it refused accepting the silverware from him.
What had happened?
- At the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday, it was approximately 90 minutes of wholesome drama after India won the Asia Cup by beating Pakistan by five wickets in an exciting final.
- Soon, the Indian players took to the field, with a few of them accompanied by their individual families.
- The post-match presentation descended into delay and confusion, with Indian players staying at a distance from the stage while Mohsin Naqvi waited to serve the trophy.
- Despite the presence of Khalid Al Zarooni, the vice president of the Emirates Cricket Board, an acceptable substitute for the Indian side, the ACC chief insisted on handing over the award in person.
- For the initial one hour of deferred presentation, none of the players from Pakistan were present on the ground for the ceremonial.
Tilak Varma, Abhishek Sharma, and Kuldeep Yadav received their individual award through other major dignitaries on the podium, whereas Mohsin Naqvi Salman accepted the runners-up cheque.
Reasons behind Indian team’s refusal
Cryptic posts by Mohsin Naqvi: Cryptic videos of Cristiano Ronaldinho’s place crash gestures celebrations have been posted by Naqvi, which is considered to be a reference to the claims of Pakistanis that six Indian jets were drowned at the time of ‘Operation Sindoor’ into the consequences of the Pahalgam terror attack.
Naqvi charged Suryakumar: Naqvi was also behind the order of Pakistan that ICC charge Suryakumar with an offence of level 4 for underneath the Indian Army and presenting harmony with fatalities of the Pahalgham terror attack. Furthermore, the Indian team had also upheld a ‘no handshake’ strategy with regard to Pakistan during the tournament.
According to sources, India had previously informed the Asian Cricket Council that it would not accept the trophy if presented by Mohsin Naqvi, regardless of the current controversies surrounding obscure social media posts.
It has been analyzed that the Indian team aimed to receive the trophy from anyone on the stage, apart from Naqvi, among the dignitaries.
However, despite the clear stance of the BCCI, the Indian players did not want to move up on the podium until Naqvi was present, and the chairman of PCB did not force the issue. The BCCI would have filed an official objection if Naqvi had made an attempt to hand over the trophy to the Indian team forcefully, said a senior BCCI official.
- Decision made by Mohsin Naqvi: With the Indian team’s refusal, Naqvi stepped down from the stage and headed towards the exit gate, walking away with the trophy, making every person surprised. Bulbul, the BCB president, who is observed to be a huge supporter of Naqvi, stated to the media person that the prize distribution ceremony needs to be called off suddenly because of the denial of the Indian cricket team.
- Decisions made by the Indian team and the BCCI: The Indian group, along with the support staff, assembled near the stage after Naqvi’s departure to briefly celebrate, and also conducted a photo session with a ringing out of a victory song, although without the trophy. Furthermore, Devajit Saikia, BCCI Secretary, told the selected group of news agencies at the board headquarters in Mumbai that they have decided not to hand over the Asia Cup 2025 trophy to the Asian Cricket Council chairman, who is the chief leader of Pakistan.
Devajit Saikia also asked Mohsin Naqvi to return the individual medals as well as the Championship trophy as soon as possible. Moreover, the argument turned out to be the conclusion of simmering tensions across the tournament. With this, the Indian players had previously avoided photo-ops and pre-match handshakes with their Pakistani counterparts and refused any form of formal involvement with Naqvi.
According to the BJP leader, Amit Malviya, Naqvi is a major propagandist for the terror state that is Pakistan, due to which he was slammed on the field. The first match between the two nations began with controversy after the Indian players were denied the opportunity to shake hands with the Pakistani players.
Reaction of audiences
The fans in the stands, especially the supporters of India, made their disapproval clear and loud, booing Naqvi and also chanting patriotic slogans. At the same time, the Pakistan team remained in the dressing room for nearly an hour after the match, while the chairman of the cricket board was evidently secluded on the podium.
BCCI to gun for Naqvi dismissal from ACC
The BCCI will approach the ICC to take certain action against Naqvi, as announced by Saikia. He stated that during the next ICC conference in Dubai in November, they will introduce a very robust and serious protest against Naqvi’s actions.
Suryakumar Yadav disclosed that India never denied the Asia Cup 2025, in spite officials grabbing it away after the final presentation ceremony. Later, Indian players utilized social media to celebrate their victory and express their frustration without the physical trophy.
Preparing for the upcoming year’s World T20
- In the international cricket broadcast environment, the India vs. Pakistan games are considered the most recognizable cash cows.
- Thus, efforts are always made to maximize the number of games possible within multi-sided events.
- However, on Sunday, the chain of events within Dubai will surely have a bitter taste, and stakeholders will be required to decide on the consequences they seek to avoid such games that escalate hostility, as was evident throughout the Asia Cup.
1 Comment
Mohsin Naqvi’s action of taking the trophy and leaving the podium is an unusual act of poor sportsmanship and administrative petulance. Despite India’s victory, it was an undignified move that disgraced the office of the ACC President. The BCCI must take action to maintain the sport’s integrity.