New Delhi: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) raised strong objections at the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting over its decision not to hand over the winner’s trophy to the Indian team and the drama created by ACC chairman Mohsin Naqvi during the post-match presentation ceremony, sources told IANS here on Tuesday.
Rajeev Shukla, who represented the BCCI at the meeting, is learnt to have confronted Naqvi with tough questions. “Why was the trophy not handed over to the winning team? The ACC trophy is not the personal property of any individual,” Shukla reportedly said during the discussions.
According to sources, Naqvi claimed there was no written communication to the ACC stating that the Indian team would not accept the trophy from him. He even refused to congratulate India on their Asia Cup triumph during the meeting, sources added. Instead, Naqvi extended congratulations to Nepal and Mongolia on their induction into the ACC, but pointedly left out India.
The sources told IANS that the BCCI made its position clear during the meeting: “The trophy must be handed over to us. If needed, we will collect it directly from the ACC office.”
However, ACC chairman Mohsin Naqvi remained defiant, suggesting the matter should be discussed further. The BCCI, sources said, is refusing to entertain any negotiations, asserting: “There is no discussion — the trophy belongs to us.”
Despite repeated demands, Naqvi has still not agreed to hand over the trophy. The BCCI is now preparing to file an official complaint with the ICC.
A controversy erupted at the presentation ceremony soon after India defeated Pakistan in the final, with Siuryakumar Yadav and his team refusing to receive the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, who is ACC chairman and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB and is also the country’s Interior Minister.
The Indian team had decided not to shake hands with the Pakistan players in the first two matches.
(IANS)
