In a strong statement, Devajit Saikia, the secretary for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), sharply criticized Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chairman Mohsin Naqvi. The controversy arose when Naqvi reportedly took the Asia Cup trophy from the presentation stage after the Indian team refused to accept it directly from him. Saikia confirmed that the BCCI intends to escalate this matter at the upcoming International Cricket Council (ICC) Board meeting in November.
Saikia elaborated on the incident, stating, “We decided not to receive the trophy from the ACC chairman, Mr. Naqvi, who holds a significant leadership position in Pakistan. However, that does not imply he can simply walk away with the trophy.” He made these remarks just moments after Suryakumar Yadav’s victorious squad celebrated their Asia Cup win on the podium, conspicuously without the coveted trophy.
“We arrived with our medals, and it’s truly unfortunate and utterly unsporting,” Saikia added, expressing his dismay. “We sincerely hope that both the trophy and the medals will be returned to India as swiftly as possible.”
The dramatic standoff between the BCCI and Mr. Naqvi initially caused a significant delay of nearly 90 minutes in the presentation ceremony. The situation culminated in the presenter ultimately leaving the venue with the trophy, rather than handing it over to the victorious captain.
“We plan to lodge a very serious and strong protest against the actions of the ACC chairperson at the next ICC conference in Dubai during the first week of November,” Saikia declared firmly.
In recognition of India’s triumph, Saikia also announced a combined cash prize of ₹21 crore for the entire squad, including players and support staff. He drew a striking comparison between the team’s Asia Cup success and “Operation Sindoor” in May, which followed the tragic Pahalgam terror attacks.
“We are incredibly proud of our team; they have performed exceptionally well on the cricket pitch,” Saikia affirmed. “Just as our armed forces delivered on the border, our cricketers have achieved similar success in Dubai. This is an outstanding and truly momentous occasion for Indian cricket.”