A remarkable and contentious incident unfolded at the Asia Cup final as the victorious Indian team declined to receive their championship trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi. The refusal stemmed from the Indian side’s strong objection to Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan’s Interior Minister and heads their national cricket board.
The presentation ceremony was immediately plunged into disarray. As Mr. Naqvi took his position on the dais, the Indian players remained rooted just a short distance away, making it clear they would not proceed, causing a significant and awkward delay in the post-match proceedings.
Sources indicated that the Indian team management had explicitly inquired about the trophy presenter’s identity. The ACC officials then found themselves in a difficult position, realizing their chairman was deemed unacceptable by the champions.
As Mr. Naqvi stood on the presentation stage, the crowd reacted vocally, booing collectively and erupting into chants of ‘Bharat Maata Ki Jai.’ It became clear to the organizers that if Mr. Naqvi attempted to present the trophy, the Indian team would officially lodge a protest. Amid this escalating tension, a sudden turn of events saw an organizer discreetly whisk the trophy away into the dressing room while Mr. Naqvi stood waiting.
This refusal was not an isolated incident. The Indian team had consistently maintained a distance, refraining from shaking hands with Pakistani players throughout all three Asia Cup matches and even skipping the traditional pre-toss photoshoot. This series of actions clearly communicated their firm stance to the ACC regarding their reluctance to engage with the chairman.
Adding to the dramatic turn of events, the Pakistani players did not emerge from their dressing room for an extended period, nearly an hour after the match concluded. This left their chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, visibly isolated and embarrassed on the field, waiting to fulfill the continental body’s protocol. When Salman Agha and his teammates finally appeared, they were met with resounding chants of ‘Indiaaaa, Indiaaaaa’ from the jubilant crowd.