Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Sep 30: A major controversy has erupted between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) over what the Indian board has described as a “disrespectful snub” following India’s Asia Cup triumph. The BCCI has strongly objected to the ACC’s failure to present the winner’s trophy to the Indian team and to what it termed “unprofessional conduct” by ACC chairman Mohsin Naqvi during the post-match presentation.
According to sources, BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla confronted Naqvi at an ACC meeting, questioning why the trophy was not formally handed to the Indian team after their win over Pakistan in the final. “The ACC trophy is not the personal property of any individual,” Shukla reportedly said, challenging Naqvi’s handling of the situation.
Naqvi, who is also Pakistan’s Interior Minister and head of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), allegedly refused to offer even a formal congratulation to the Indian team during the meeting. Instead, he focused his remarks on welcoming Nepal and Mongolia into the ACC fold, pointedly omitting any reference to India’s victory.
The BCCI, maintaining a firm stance, told the ACC that India is entitled to the trophy and that if necessary, they would retrieve it directly from the ACC’s office. Despite the pressure, Naqvi reportedly remained non-committal, suggesting the issue should be discussed further — a stance the BCCI outright rejected, insisting, “There is no discussion — the trophy belongs to us.”
Sources say the BCCI is now preparing to file an official complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC), escalating the matter to the global cricketing body.
The tension dates back to the tournament itself. After defeating Pakistan in the final, Indian players, led by Suryakumar Yadav, reportedly refused to receive the trophy from Naqvi during the post-match ceremony. The Indian team had also opted not to shake hands with Pakistani players during the earlier matches — a move widely interpreted as a political statement amid ongoing India-Pakistan tensions.
As the standoff deepens, it marks yet another flashpoint in the already strained relationship between the two cricket boards — and adds a new layer of drama to the geopolitics of Asian cricket.