Asia Cup trophy row: PCB chief felt disrespected by India
What's the story
The Asia Cup trophy saga has taken a new turn, with Mohsin Naqvi, the chief of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Chair of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), saying he was "disrespected" during the post-final ceremony, as per PTI. Naqvi said he was unaware of India's decision not to accept the trophy from him. He claimed that BCCI never emailed him about such a situation.
Statement
Naqvi 'felt like a cartoon'
During the meeting on Tuesday, Naqvi stated that he arrived on the ceremony podium, hoping to hand over the medals and trophy to Suryakumar Yadav and his team. However, the PCB boss was made to look "like a cartoon", as he waited on the stage for their arrival. It must be noted that India defeated Pakistan by five wickets in the final to clinch the title.
Trophy dispute
Naqvi keeps the trophy in Dubai hotel room
Naqvi has kept the Asia Cup trophy and winners' medals in his Dubai hotel room, after taking them back from the post-final ceremony. A few BCCI officials attended an ACC meeting virtually, demanding the trophy and medals be returned to India. However, Naqvi was evasive and did not directly refuse to do so. During Tuesday's meeting, he complained about not being informed of India's decision not to accept the Asia Cup trophy from him.
Trophy ownership
BCCI demands trophy return, but Naqvi passes the buck
The BCCI has maintained a strong stance that the Asia Cup trophy isn't Naqvi's personal property, hence, it has to be returned. Rajiv Shukla and Ashish Shelar from the BCCI asked Naqvi to keep the trophy in ACC's Dubai office for collection by the Indian team. They argued that "we want the trophy as legitimate winners." However, Naqvi didn't directly refuse but was seen passing the buck during this discussion.
Warning issued
BCCI threatens ICC complaint over Asia Cup trophy
The BCCI has warned Naqvi that it will complain to the ICC if the trophy isn't returned. Shukla and Shelar made it clear that the trophy should be handed over to the winning team as it's an ACC property, not an individual one. Despite Naqvi's complaints, they remained firm on their demand for its return. The matter remains unresolved and will be discussed further in a future meeting.